Tale of the Undefeatable Jedi
by Code Green
Summary: The untold story of who Mara Jade's parents were and what really happened to them.
1. Chapter 1: The Unsuspecting Eavesdropper

1

There it was again, that faint yet unpleasant familiar buzzing. It penetrated the speaker's voice, and a white hand, almost surrounded by brown cloth, moved to a black, intricate handle and stroked it. _You won't get away this time, _Obi Wan thought to himself and smiled. _I've been watching you closely, and I will get you, my clever friend. _A sudden frantic movement in the buzzing caused Obi Wan's smile to broaden, but the smile suddenly turned into a frown as the buzzing stopped entirely. _Oh no! Don't leave yet!_

"Troubled you are, Obi Wan," a raspy voice said quietly from Obi Wan's side.

Obi Wan turned his head to gaze at Yoda for a moment. The little green alien was staring at him expectantly.

"Yes sir."

"Indeed. I heard it as well. Go Obi Wan, and find our unwelcome listener. You will not be missed," Yoda nodded.

"Thank you sir."

Obi Wan stood up and hastily left the Senate Assembly, Senator Amidala's voice following him as he entered one of the palace corridors and began to run.

"You there!" he called as a man in guard uniform approached him.

"Yes sir?"

"Where is the man who was just on duty?"

"He is reporting to our commander, sir."

"Thank you," Obi Wan said, and then continued running.

As Obi Wan moved to the guard headquarters, he thought carefully about the strange buzzing that he had heard several times over the past week. He had really felt it more than heard it, but the sensation was unpleasant and troublesome. The buzzing had followed him from Jedi councils, to Jedi training, to Galactic Senate meetings. He had tried to hunt down the person who had so skillfully been listening to the meetings. What made the situation so peculiar was that the clever eavesdropper could hear through sealed doors and walls. Not everyone could do that.

After entering the guard headquarters, Obi Wan went immediately to the commander.

"Commander Brask, I have somewhat of a question to ask you."

"Why, Master Kenobi! What brings you here?" The commander, a tall, pleasant-faced man, asked as he shook Obi Wan's hand, a large smile on his face.

"I need to know who was on guard at doorway 54 of the Great Assembly Room a few moments ago," Obi Wan smiled.

The commander's smile faded and he asked worriedly, "Has he done something wrong?"

"At the moment, I am not sure. Who is the man, and where is he please?"

Commander Brask straightened his shoulders and cleared his throat nervously.

"The young man was Lt. Nicholas, and I believe you will find him at the highest point of this building."

"The highest point?" Obi Wan asked with some confusion.

"Yes sir. Lt. Nicholas seems to have a peculiar fascination with roofs."

Obi Wan chuckled and shook his head.

"Thank you for your time, Commander Brask."

"You are very welcome. Please come any time that you need assistance."

"That I will. Good day Commander."

Obi Wan left the headquarters and went to an elevator shaft.

"He must be hiding up there," he whispered to himself as he entered the elevator, folding his cloak around him. "I shall have to keep a good watch on this one."

The door closed, and Obi Wan mentally prepared himself for whatever reaction the young man would have. He kept a hand on his lightsaber as the elevator continued to soar to the top floor of the building.

When the elevator stopped, Obi Wan stepped out carefully and glanced out the large glass windows that surrounded him. He could see all different sorts of aircraft below, speeding in and out of typical Coruscant night traffic. Before he went to the stairs that led to the roof, Obi Wan stretched out with the Force, searching for the man above him and trying to determine what attitude he would be met with. He did find the person he was searching for, and discovered that the person above had feelings of peace surrounding him. Those feelings comforted Obi Wan a bit, and he approached the stairs boldly.

The door to the roof slid open quietly, and Obi Wan stepped out, immediately looking for the one he had been searching for. He caught sight of someone sitting atop a large structure; his back turned towards the Jedi. Obi Wan began to walk towards him, and almost immediately, the feelings of peace changed to that of surprise, and the man suddenly spun around, his hand on his blaster and an expression of worry on his face.

"Peace, friend. I didn't mean to startle you," Obi Wan said pleasantly, studying the young man's features.

He was certainly young, but he wore a serious expression on his face that far surpassed his age. Obi Wan noted with some surprise that his young student, Anakin, came to mind. Anakin was no doubt an attractive-looking man, but this man beat him as far as looks were concerned. He had straight blonde hair and an amazing light in his dark green eyes. He was also tall and well built with great muscles beneath what appeared to be simple Tatooine garb.

"Master Obi Wan! I had not realized it was you!" The young man apologized and quickly took his hand off his blaster.

"You know my name," Obi Wan commented as he approached the man.

"Of course, sir. Not many in the Coruscant palace don't."

"You are Lt. Nicholas?"

"Yes sir."

"I find it most interesting, Lieutenant that you knew I was here before you either heard me or saw me."

"I just had a feeling someone was behind me sir," Nicholas said with a sheepish smile.

"Is that the same type of feeling you have when you can hear things through the walls? Things that you are perhaps not meant to hear?"

Nicholas lowered his head.

"I do apologize for all that, sir. I am just so interested in what is being said, and I find that I can't stop from hearing."

"You do realize that it is impossible for most people to hear through barriers like that?" Obi Wan asked with interest.

"Is it?"

"Tell me, Lt. Nicholas, what type of training have you had before?"

"Guard training, sir. I am one of Senator Amidala's personal guards. I am also a pilot," Nicholas smiled.

"Is that the only training you have had?"

"No sir, but the other form of training I have had I have decided to keep completely confidential."

"Hmm…I see."

Obi Wan stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Have you ever heard about Jedi training?"

"Yes sir. I have always been interested in becoming a Jedi."

"How did you hear about the Jedi?"

"My parents," Nicholas said, and his voice noticeably lowered.

"Why do you come up here?" Obi Wan asked, changing the subject and sitting down on the roof.

"I enjoy the peace. It gives me time to think. I just wish that I could see the stars. On Tatooine I was always able to see them," Nicholas replied.

"You are from Tatooine then? I have never been to a drier, deader place," Obi Wan chuckled.

"It was home to me, though," Nicholas said.

Obi Wan pulled his lightsaber out of its holster and held it up to Nicholas.

"Have you ever seen one of these before?"

"No sir. What is it?"

"This is a lightsaber. It is a Jedi's weapon."

Obi Wan ignited the lightsaber, and the blue blade illuminated the dark roof.

"What does it do?" Nicholas asked, entranced.

"It cuts through things and deflects enemy fire," Obi Wan explained, twirling the weapon a bit. "Here. Hold it for a moment."

Nicholas licked his lips and then took the lightsaber handle in his hands.

"It's so light," he commented.

"You've held something like that before," Obi Wan said, watching as Nicholas moved the weapon a bit, never taking his shining eyes off the blade.

"Perhaps."

"I believe you have had some Jedi training of a sort before, Nicholas," Obi Wan said as Nicholas handed the blade back to him.

"Not that I know of."

"Your capability to hear through things and sense the presence of others is rare in someone your age who has not had Jedi training before. How old are you?"

"Nineteen, sir."

Obi Wan stroked his chin again, gazing ahead at the dark, foggy sky. Nicholas' capabilities were certainly peculiar and the young man definitely had respect. More respect than other Jedi that Obi Wan knew. Yoda, though, would be suspicious of Nicholas' talents, as would Mace Windu. The young man's past was also something to consider. He was unwilling to give all of his information to someone as powerful as a Jedi Master.

Nicholas studied Obi Wan carefully as the Jedi thought, and he was standing at attention when Obi Wan finally looked at him and smiled.

"I would like to bring you before the Jedi Council, Lt. Nicholas. I believe that you have great aspects of becoming a Jedi, if you truly wish to be one."

"Really?" Nicholas asked, shocked.

"Yes. You've skillfully avoided me for a full week and the capabilities you already have without training would become very powerful if you did train. Would you like to become a Jedi?"

"Very much sir!"

"Very well then. I will speak to the other members of the Council and will inform you when you are to come to our council room. You will not come any time before that."

"Thank you very much Master Obi Wan," Nicholas smiled, and then, with one graceful leap, he was on top of the structure again, and Obi Wan was left marveling.

There was another thing. He could jump up that easily and that high. The Jedi Council was definitely going to hear about this!

Obi Wan went back into the building and was deep in thought as he walked back to his room for the evening. Before going there, he planned to speak to Yoda about bringing Lt. Nicholas to a Council meeting. He had a strange confidence in the young man, a confidence that he had never felt about any other Jedi Padawan. He had certainly not felt that way about Anakin, and had it not been for Master Qui'Gon, he would have refused to take Anakin. Lt. Nicholas and Anakin would make good friends, Obi Wan determined. They were both young and Anakin was ready to take on his first student, under the supervision of Obi Wan, of course.

"Master Obi Wan."

A voice cut into Obi Wan's thoughts, and he turned his head to see Anakin standing there, his dark features nearly blending in with the shadows of the corridor.

"Anakin, my friend, what is it?"

"Master Yoda wishes to speak with you."

"Very well. You may return to your duties."

"Thank you. Good night master."

"Good night Anakin."

Obi Wan watched Anakin leave and he felt amused as he walked towards Yoda's room. Perhaps Lt. Nicholas and Anakin would get along, but they were definitely opposites. Anakin had come far in his training though, Obi Wan had to admit. He had learned to respect his authorities and remained loyal to them. The trick to all of it would be convincing the Jedi Council that Nicholas would be a great asset to the Jedi. That would be no easy task at all.

Obi Wan knocked quietly on Yoda's door and entered after being called.

"You found our listener, Obi Wan," Yoda said, gesturing for Obi Wan to be seated.

"Yes master."

"Was he angry?"

"No sir. Quite the contrary, actually. I found him to be very strong in the force, and he has never had any training."

Yoda frowned, his ears drooping a bit. "You want him to become a Jedi."

"Yes sir. He would be a great addition. He is so skilled already."

"Possible, is it, that he has had training and has not told you?"

Obi Wan shook his head, but it was only half-heartedly. "He told me that he has had some training before, but he was unwilling to tell me what kind, or where he received it."

"Frightened, was he?"

"No sir."

"We will have a Council meeting in the morning without this young person, Obi Wan, and then we shall discuss it there. We have no trainers to spare, and you are busy with your own Padawan, Obi Wan. This situation we must look at carefully."

"Yes."

"You may leave now."

"Good night."

"Good night Obi Wan."

Morning came, and Obi Wan sat comfortably in his chair gazing at the other Jedi masters who were seated in a circular formation in the Council room. Mace Windu sat down last and watched Yoda as he spoke.

"Master Obi Wan Kenobi believes that he has found another pupil to train to be a Jedi. He knows very little about him. Obi Wan, please explain."

Obi Wan cleared his throat and then spoke.

"The young man's name is Nicholas. He is a lieutenant in Senator Amidala's guard. He told me that he is a pilot and is nineteen years old. His skills are exceptional. He is able to hear through doors and walls and was also able to sense when I was approaching him."

"Have you heard anything from his commander about him?" Mace Windu asked.

"No sir. He seemed to have a good respect for the lieutenant, however."

"I have asked the commander to join us," Yoda said. "Let him in, you will."

A tiny use of the force caused the door to slide open, and Commander Brask walked quickly into the room.

"You summoned me?" he asked, looking at Yoda.

"Yes, Commander Brask. Thank you for coming," Mace Windu said as the commander stepped into the center of the circle of chairs.

"How may I help you?"

"Commander, what can you tell us about Lt. Nicholas?" Yoda asked.

"There is much to tell," the commander smiled. "Lt. Nicholas has been with us for almost two years now. He was an excellent fighter and pilot when we received him. He is one of the strongest men in the guard and the fastest. His flying is superb, as well as his shooting. He also has a very eager, alert spirit, and loves best to please his superiors."

Obi Wan smiled to himself as the commander glowed about Nicholas, and then, when he had finished speaking, he asked, "Commander, does Lt. Nicholas have any skills that you find extraordinary?"

"Yes," the commander nodded. "He always seems to know if something is about to go wrong. Two of our pilots have been saved by his quick thinking."

All of the Jedi in the room were deep in thought, and finally, Yoda spoke. "Thank you for coming Commander. Would you please send Lt. Nicholas to us?"

"Yes sir," the commander bowed and then left the room.

"Very strange and remarkable, these things we hear," Yoda said quietly. "We must test this man. Obi Wan, send for Anakin."

Anakin came quickly to the Council room, and after being given some instructions, he left. A few seconds after he left, Nicholas was called into the Council room and was told to stand in the middle of the Jedi.

Nicholas was nervous as he walked into the center of the room, but he hid it well. He had been trained to keep his emotions hidden within him, and it was with a straight back and squared shoulders that he gazed at the Jedi who were all staring at him.

"He is very strong," Mace Windu commented, his eyes on Nicholas'. "And well taught. What was your training on Tatooine, Lieutenant?"

"I was trained to be a guard and pilot by a very substantial leader," Nicholas said, his voice strong and without a quiver.

"Where are your parents?"

"They are both dead, sir. They were killed by enemy soldiers of some sort."

"Who were your parents?" Mace Windu asked.

"I do not know their first names, sir, but I was told always to remember my name."

"And what is your full name?"

"I am Nicholas Xon Jade," Nicholas said a bit proudly, and the Jedi began to whisper amongst them.

Obi Wan's pleasant expression, Nicholas noticed immediately, had rapidly faded.

"Do you know who the Jades were?" Yoda finally asked, silencing the whispers.

"My family sir," Nicholas said.

"Not only were they your family, Nicholas, but they were the most ill-reputed Jedi of their time," Mace Windu said with a frown.

To everyone's surprise, the young guard's face suddenly twisted into an expression of complete shock.

"What?" he gasped.

"There was always at least one of your family members in the Jedi Council, Nicholas, until your parents came," Mace Windu said. "They were disgusted with the way we do things, and so they left the Council. Every Jade that has ever been part of the Council has either been forced to leave or has left of their own accord. Do you know what the Force is?"

"No sir," Nicholas said, a trickle of sweat rolling down his forehead.

"The Force is where we get much of our power from, Nicholas. There is a good Force, and a bad Force. Your family has always been part of the bad Force. I'm sorry, but we cannot take you," Mace Windu said, shaking his head.

"Wait a moment!" Obi Wan interjected, and all eyes turned to him. "You allowed Anakin to become a student when he was too young and strong-minded. Why not give Nicholas a chance?"

"Because Nicholas is a Jade," one of the other Jedi spoke up, and the others nodded their heads in agreement.

"Please give him a chance. If Nicholas starts to go to the dark side, then I will stop his training," Obi Wan pleaded. "Give the lad a chance."

"Qui Gon is dead, Obi Wan," Mace Windu sighed.

"This is not for him. This is for me. I have always done as I have been asked. Please give me a chance with this lad. There is something very special about him, just as there was with Anakin," Obi Wan said gently.

Mace Windu and Yoda exchanged concerned glances, but then Yoda turned his eyes to Nicholas.

"Test him we will," he said quietly, and then, slowly, he pressed a button on the armrest of his chair.

Nicholas' eyes scanned the room, trying to understand what his test was. Three seconds later, he understood. A strange pressure suddenly flowed through him, and he turned swiftly to face the door.

Half a second later, the door slid open and Anakin charged in, his lightsaber held high above him. Nicholas knew that this was a test of skill and discernment, due to the fact that he had been instructed to leave his blaster outside of the room. He watched as Anakin charged towards him, years of combat training flowing through his mind. He braced himself as Anakin drew nearer, and then suddenly, instead of letting the Jedi get close to him, Nicholas charged towards Anakin. He could feel surprise floating through the room as he leaped off the ground and with one leg outstretched, flew towards Anakin. Anakin had been instructed not to use his lightsaber on the young man, so he immediately closed the weapon, and with an outstretched hand, sent Nicholas flying backwards away from him.

The strength that Anakin used surprised Nicholas, but it did not stop him. He moved towards Anakin again, and this time, as the Jedi opened his hand to send another force push towards him, Nicholas flipped backwards, away from Anakin, and then wildly spun around the Jedi, managing somehow to land a firm kick on Anakin's back. Nicholas landed in a crouching position on the ground, and he watched Anakin carefully. Anakin spun around, this time not giving Nicholas a chance to charge him, and leaped into the air. He flung himself towards Nicholas, and using the Force, managed to land a kick at the young guard's head. Nicholas fell back, landing hard on the floor. He was stunned momentarily, but quickly leaped off the ground in time to miss another blow from Anakin.

Five minutes of furious fighting passed before Yoda finally held his hand up and Anakin moved away from Nicholas.

"The boy has skills. There is no doubt about that," Mace Windu said as Anakin stepped next to Yoda. "Very well then, young Nicholas. You will begin Jedi training under the tutelage of Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. You will obey everything that they tell you and will not be permitted to go anywhere without their knowing. As a Jedi, you are forbidden to have any attachment to anyone. Attachment hinders you in your missions and interferes with your strength."

"Yes sir. Thank you," Nicholas smiled.

"You are no longer Lt. Nicholas. You have given up that rank to become a Jedi. Obi Wan will be known as master to you, and Anakin will simply remain Anakin."

Nicholas noted the frown that quickly passed across Anakin's face, but the man wisely remained silent.

"Are our orders understood?" Mace Windu asked.

"Yes sir."

"Very well then. Obi Wan, you will train him and will be held responsible for any misdemeanors that this young man may cause. Anakin, you will do as Obi Wan instructs you concerning Nicholas. You are dismissed."

Obi Wan could feel an astounding amount of energy flowing from Nicholas as he followed Obi Wan out of the Council room. He passed Commander Brask along the way, and Obi Wan explained Nicholas' new assignment to him. The commander was a bit disheartened to see his best guard leave, but everyone could tell that he was very proud of Nicholas and it did him great honor to see one of his own guards becoming a Jedi student.

Nicholas glanced back at Commander Brask as he moved farther and farther away from him. He was excited about the future, but a bit nervous. There were several things that the Jedi did not know about him, that they never could know about him, and he could only hope that he would make them proud. The rules all sounded easy enough to him, but what he failed to realize was that by the time a year had passed, the rules about forbidden attachment would become nearly a stench to him, and the most difficult tests he would ever have would be caused by those rules.


	2. Chapter 2:A Jedi's Greatest Fear:Water?

**A long time ago in a place far, far away…this book was written! Many thanks to my dear friend Leia who helped me come up with this adventure and to my friend Ichobana Rose who got me hooked on Enjoy!**

2

Anakin chuckled at the disgusted expression on Nicholas' face as the young man stared into his room mirror.

"This is sad," Nicholas sighed as he turned away from the mirror and then grinned at Anakin. "Do all Jedi have to do this before they are knights?"

"Yes," Anakin laughed as Nicholas pulled on the tiny braid he had.

"It's not even my hair."

"Not for the time being. As soon as your real hair grows out, they'll make you put a little bit of it in a braid like that."

"I look like a girl," Nicholas sighed.

"Welcome to the Jedi Order," Anakin said and then stood up from his seat. "You have to admit, the garb is comfortable."

"I always thought I looked bad in brown," Nicholas smiled. "Besides, my old Tatooine clothes were just perfect for me."

"I haven't been to Tatooine in a little while. How is it now?" Anakin asked.

"Same as it's been for years. Jabba the Hutt is still in charge, the weather is still awful, and the Tusken Warriors are still at large."

A deep, dark frown crossed Anakin's face at the mention of the Tusken Warriors.

"You don't like them either," Nicholas noted.

"Not at all. I am never going to go back to Tatooine again."

"I've never lived anywhere but Tatooine," Nicholas said. "I've been almost everywhere in the known galaxy, but I've never lived anywhere else."

"You've been almost everywhere?" Anakin asked, immediately interested.

"Yes. What do you do here Anakin? Do they send you on missions?" Nicholas asked.

"My duty has been to be a personal bodyguard for Senator Amidala," Anakin said. "Wherever she goes, I go."

"Strange I haven't really met you before," Nicholas commented.

"I guess. I'll see you in a little while. Are you ready to go to Naboo?"

"Yes. I've only dropped by there once or twice. It should be interesting to stay there for awhile," Nicholas commented.

"You'll like it. See you later," Anakin said.

He left the room, and Nicholas walked over to one of his room's great windows. Lights were flying past along with automobiles and angry drivers. Nicholas smiled to himself as he looked. Once upon a time, it would have been dangerous for him to stand by a window like that. Now, though, no one really knew who he was.

Obi Wan was waiting in Nicholas' small living room a few minutes later when Nicholas stepped out of his bedroom.

"Hello Master Obi Wan!" Nicholas saluted. "I am ready to leave now."

"Very good. Follow me. We are going to take a separate aircraft from the one the senator will be traveling on."

"She is going back to Naboo as well?"

"Yes. You look very relaxed Nicholas."

"I am sir. I have always worn robes like this. My white ones are a little more comfortable, but these are all right."

"Have you been to Naboo before?" Obi Wan asked.

"A couple of times, but only for very short business trips. Will the senator be needing our protection sir?"

"I don't believe so. Anakin will be on the aircraft with her, and she will have several guard fighters escorting her. You should know all about that Nicholas."

Nicholas nodded and smiled. "I cannot wait to see more of Naboo. I remember how beautiful some of it was."

"You'll be tired of it before we are finished," Obi Wan grinned. "Now come along. We must be leaving."

Nicholas sat quietly next to Obi Wan as the Jedi flew the aircraft out of Coruscant traffic and into the open outer space. He resisted the urge to ask Obi Wan if he would be permitted to fly and instead concentrated on the large plane that was a comfortable distance away with five fighters encircling it.

"Obi Wan, isn't it painfully obvious to all other pilots that Senator Amidala or another person of high position is on that aircraft?" He finally asked.

"I suppose, but the senator must travel somehow, and she has some of the best pilots in the galaxy to protect her. Surely you know that Nicholas," Obi Wan frowned and glanced at the young man.

Nicholas wore a thoughtful expression on his face.

"We've never traveled in that formation before, I believe," he said.

"Perhaps Commander Brask wanted to try a new tactic," Obi Wan shrugged.

"Perhaps," Nicholas replied, not fully satisfied.

An hour had passed before a sudden warning alarm began to wail in the back of Obi Wan's head. He glanced at his fighter screens carefully and noticed two forms moving towards them.

"I wonder who that could be?" he thought aloud.

Nicholas was squinting, straining to better hear the roar of the audible engines behind them.

"Corellian star fighters!" he finally gasped.

"What?" Obi Wan asked. "How did you know that?"

"The sound of their engines."

"At least there are only two of them. The guard should be able to ward them off," Obi Wan said, frowning as the warning in the back of his mind grew larger.

"There aren't only two of them. Those types of fighters carry at least five other fighters within them. We are far outnumbered," Nicholas said, shaking his head. "They aren't headed for us, but they are undoubtedly moving towards the senator. The pilots probably don't realize how powerful those fighters are, Master Obi Wan. They have not been trained to recognize those fighters," Nicholas said worriedly.

"And you have?"

Nicholas turned his head to face Obi Wan, a serious expression on his face.

"Yes sir."

"Very well then. Your first flying test, Nicholas," Obi Wan said, and quickly stood up.

"You want me to fly?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes. It seems you know more about those planes, and undoubtedly, their pilots, than anyone else here."

Nicholas smiled and put Obi Wan's headset on his head.

"Do I have permission to speak to the other pilots?" he asked.

"Of course."

"Senator Amidala's pilots, this is Nicholas of the Air Speed. We have two Corellian fighters approaching and must prepare for a battle. We are against at least twelve planes."

"Twelve planes?" the pilot from the senator's aircraft asked.

"Yes. I need all escorting guard to move farther away from the senator's aircraft. Remain in a circle around her, but pull farther away."

"Yes sir."

The pilot who had answered did not sound as though he trusted Nicholas very much, but Nicholas ignored the doubt in the man's voice.

"Nicholas, what do we need to do exactly?" Anakin asked over the headset.

"Have the escorts pull back. They need to get behind the senator's aircraft. You need to see to it that your ship is prepared for lightspeed. You need to get out of here as quickly as possible."

"Very well."

The five escort planes immediately pulled back, just as the back of the Corellian ships began to open. Nicholas turned his ship around and watched as planes began to exit the Corellian ships, and as they did, one by one, he instructed the other pilots to hold fire until they were fired at. The pilots did not trust him, and Obi Wan had to speak to them quickly before Nicholas took charge again. As soon as the adversary fighters were out of their carriers, they began to speed towards the aircraft from Coruscant. They made an effort to get to the senator's aircraft and were quick to open fire. The senator's guards returned fire, and as they did so, Nicholas moved the Air Speed close to the senator's ship and guarded it carefully. Two times enemy ships reached him, and he fired skillfully and moved the aircraft quickly and effectively. Obi Wan was amazed with his pupil's marvelous piloting techniques and surprised himself by thinking for a second that Nicholas may have been a better pilot than Anakin. He reassured himself that Nicholas couldn't have possibly been better and that this small attack did not reveal any spectacular skills on his part.

The scrimmage did not last long, and enemy fighters were soon fleeing the attack site.

"Good flying," Obi Wan commented as the escort guards moved back into place and Nicholas dropped the ship back to its original position behind the party.

"Thank you. Those were Trade Federation ships, by the way."

"How do you know all this?" Obi Wan asked, surprised.

"Who else would attack the senator?" Nicholas asked with a shrug.

"You know more than that, Nicholas," Obi Wan frowned.

"Very well. The yellow tips on the edge of the wings and the unprofessional way that our enemies flew revealed that they were Trade Federation pilots. The Trade Federation is never much of a threat because they know so little."

"Know so little?" Obi Wan gasped. "Nicholas, I ask again, how do you know such things?"

Nicholas looked at his teacher quickly to see an expression of worry on the man's face.

"I have had a few run-ins with the Trade Federation before. That's about all I can say."

"Nicholas, if you keep up this secret attitude for much longer, the Jedi Council is going to begin to be suspicious."

"I have no intention of hurting anyone, sir. I want only to be a good Jedi."

"I am sure of that, Nicholas," Obi Wan reassured him and then sat back quietly.

He stared at Nicholas as the young man gazed ahead, many thoughts running through his mind. His young pupil was certainly full of surprises, but if Nicholas continued to be so quick in his assessments, and so accurate, no doubt problems would most likely arise.

It was with great relief that Obi Wan and the other pilots saw the beautiful sphere of Naboo becoming ever larger as they neared the planet. Naboo meant peace and safety for the beautiful senator who had been queen there before, and before all of the aircraft had even landed, security guards were flying about them and were surrounding the landing pad. Before Senator Amidala was permitted to leave her ship, the Jedi and guards emerged from their aircraft and searched the area for any signs of danger. After finding none, the senator left her ship and was escorted to the great palace of Naboo.

"What do we do now, master?" Nicholas asked as the senator disappeared from view.

"We go to our headquarters," Obi Wan said.

He led Nicholas in the opposite direction of the great domed palace and towards the meadows that stretched out behind it.

The weather was absolutely beautiful, Obi Wan noted as he and his Padawan walked towards a small group of houses at the edge of the meadow. He also noted, with some amusement, that Nicholas kept gazing in awe about him, turning in circles as he walked.

"Naboo is quite beautiful, isn't it?" Obi Wan spoke as he stopped in front of one of the houses.

"It is, and it's so full of…water!" Nicholas exclaimed.

"We aren't even in the Lake Country yet, but come, let us go inside. We have much to do," Obi Wan spoke and then opened the door to the house.

"Originally, the Jedi lived in the palace, but after the war with the Trade Federation passed, only a few of us would come to Naboo at a time, so we stayed here," Obi Wan explained as he and Nicholas entered a large, light blue room with a padded floor and no windows.

"This must be the training room," Nicholas noted.

"It is. Your room is that door on the left, Nicholas. My room is on the right. There should be food in both rooms. Tomorrow we will begin your training. For now, eat and rest. Tomorrow will be a long day," Obi Wan smiled and then stepped into his room.

Nicholas went into his room and closed the door behind him.

"Here it is Nicholas. The new chance you always wanted," he said as he glanced about the room.

The room had large open windows with large, plush furniture. In the center of the room was a small water fountain with three chairs around it. The furniture was all scarlet with gold designs on it. There was a small cooling unit next to a little table, and Nicholas went to it and got some food. He sat down next to the water fountain and gazed out the large windows. He felt confident that he would do well with his Jedi training the next day.

Obi Wan woke Nicholas up early the next morning and brought him into the training room.

"Alright, my young Padawan. Today we will work on the basics of the Force. The Force is not something seen; it is felt. It is our ally, but it can also be our enemy. We must never use it for evil purposes. Now, you've already gotten the feel of a lightsaber. I have a device here that will zap you with lasers if you don't block them with your lightsaber. Here," Obi Wan said, unhooking his lightsaber and handing it to Nicholas. "Protect yourself."

"Yes sir."

Nicholas ignited the lightsaber and watched as the little machine began to spin around him. He caught the first and second blasts on his lightsaber, but then the little machine spun around him and let out a laser at the back of the young man's knee.

"Ouch," Obi Wan said, but even before he finished the word, Nicholas had leaped up into the air, spun completely around, jumping over the laser in the process, and had brought his lightsaber blade down on top of the training device. He ended his jump by landing in a defense position on the floor, the machine landing in two separate pieces in front of him.

"Oh bother. I think I broke it," he sighed, standing up and picking up the broken pieces of metal. "I'm sorry master."

He gave the pieces to Obi Wan and closed his lightsaber. Obi Wan was speechless as he stared at the fragments in his hand.

"Did I disappoint you sir?" Nicholas asked worriedly.

"Ah…no. Not at all. Let us get some food in my room, Nicholas. Your training is over for now," Obi Wan said.

"Yes sir."

Obi Wan watched Nicholas quietly as he ate, sensing the young man's discomfort at being stared at. When they were both finished eating, Obi Wan led Nicholas outside, and they began to walk towards Naboo's waterfalls.

"Nicholas," Obi Wan finally spoke. "Have you ever heard of one called the 'undefeatable Jedi'?"

Nicholas looked at him, his eyes wide.

"No sir. Is there such a person?"

Obi Wan sighed. "I'm not sure. My master, Qui Gon Jinn, believed that there was such a person, one who had more power than any other Jedi and had no weakness, except one."

"What was it?"

"He didn't know. The reason I mention this Nicholas is because your skills are far above that of any other Padawan I've seen. I have never seen anyone break that training machine the way you did."

"I have had expert defense training," Nicholas said.

"Perhaps. Getting back to training, though. Something you need to be trained in is how to overcome fear. Fear leads to the dark side of the force, therefore you must master it. What are you afraid of, Nicholas?"

Nicholas frowned and remained silent.

"Come now. You can't become a Jedi until you master it," Obi Wan chuckled.

"Oh, alright. I'm afraid of water," Nicholas sighed.

"So I see," Obi Wan grinned.

"Please no," Nicholas gasped, taking several steps back.

"I'm not going to make you go down it," Obi Wan said, gazing at the water in front of them that was rushing towards one of Naboo's beautiful waterfalls. "Doesn't it sound comforting?"

"If you like the sound of death. I don't know how to swim," Nicholas said, folding his arms across his chest.

"If you do this exercise correctly, you won't have to. Now then, there is a path of rocks right there. I will show you what I want you to do," Obi Wan said.

"But I just ate breakfast!"

Obi Wan chuckled and shook his head. "Just watch, my young Padawan."

Obi Wan picked up a large stick and then walked towards the rocks, each rock separated by at least two feet.

"You will go across the rocks, swinging your stick like this," Obi Wan said, and then demonstrated.

Nicholas watched as the Jedi master leaped about from rock to rock, swinging his stick artfully. The rocks were a bit slippery due to the water rushing over them, but Obi Wan made it safely to the other side.

"Your turn!" he shouted across the water.

Nicholas picked up a stick and gazed at the water worriedly.

"I can't do it!" he declared.

"Sure you can! You won't be able to see the new spacecraft if you don't!" Obi Wan called.

"New spacecraft?" Nicholas bit his lip and gazed at the rushing water.

"I wish I had my Tatooine clothes," he sighed and then stepped out onto the first rock. He waved his stick, wobbling a bit, and then leaped to the next rock. He gazed at the waterfall a short distance away and gulped.

"Come on Nicholas!" Obi Wan encouraged, and Nicholas continued.

It wasn't until halfway across that Nicholas suddenly started to slip on a rock.

"Oh no!" he gasped.

"You can do it!" Obi Wan called.

Nicholas gazed at his feet, trying to put them in the right spot, but a wrong move on his part sent him falling into the water with a shout. This new substance was cold and forceful, and Nicholas panicked as he waved his arms about, trying to catch hold of something. He grabbed a rock and then hung on, pulling his head out of the water and gasping and coughing.

"You all right?" Obi Wan asked from the rock next to him.

"Yes. I thought I was a goner! I almost…"

Nicholas stopped talking and his cheeks turned red. "I'm standing up, aren't I?"

Obi Wan started to chuckle, and Nicholas looked down to see that his feet were indeed touching the water's rocky bottom.

"That's embarrassing," he sighed as he climbed back onto the rock. To his surprise, he found Obi Wan to be laughing, the chuckle having risen in volume.

"Come now, Nicholas. Let's go look at that hangar," he smiled. "You deserve it. The challenges will get harder as the days pass, and you will be learning how to swim, you realize. You never know when swimming can save you."

"Yes sir," Nicholas said, spitting out some water and then struggling to the shore.

"Also, you already learned how to get over some pride. That's one of the most important lessons you can learn."

"Pride sir?"

"Come now, Nicholas. You have to admit, you stepped into this believing that you would succeed in every task I gave you."

"I suppose I'm not used to failing," Nicholas admitted as he pulled himself out of the water. "I've never really failed in anything."

"Well, prepare yourself to fail in several other things. This training is new for you and is most likely not something that you are used to."

"Yes sir. I won't have such high expectations for myself," Nicholas nodded.

"You should have high expectations, Nicholas, but not so high that you overlook things. Let's go to the hangars now. I think you will enjoy seeing the new fighter planes," Obi Wan smiled.

A fifteen-minute walk brought Obi Wan and his soaked Padawan to a small hill overlooking two large domed buildings located a short distance away from the palace and surrounding homes.

"Those must be the hangars, cleverly disguised as storage buildings," Nicholas said.

"Yes. Are you ready to see the new fighters?" Obi Wan asked.

"Yes!" Nicholas exclaimed.

"Come then."

Obi Wan led the way to the first hangar and then stopped outside a small door. It was cut into a huge hangar entrance, cleverly painted to look as though it was a wall. Obi Wan knocked on the door and it opened quickly. A man in a flight suit with dark hair and dark blue eyes opened the door.

"Yes?" he asked, wiping his oil-covered hands on a rag.

"I am Obi Wan Kenobi," Obi Wan smiled.

"Oh! Obi Wan! Come in!"

The man held the door open for Obi Wan and Nicholas and then closed the door once they were inside.

"It's been awhile, Obi Wan. I didn't recognize you."

"Nor I you! This is my new Padawan, Nicholas," Obi Wan smiled.

"Hello. I am Blake, Blake Antilles," Blake smiled and shook Nicholas' hand.

"Hello! I hear you have new fighters," Nicholas said.

"Certainly."

Blake flipped a light switch and the whole hangar became illuminated, revealing ten new planes. They had pointed noses and straight wings with guns underneath each wing tip. Nicholas forgot about everything, the hangar, Obi Wan and Blake, and stared at the planes, moving subconsciously towards them.

"They're beautiful," he said, reaching out his hand to touch the plane and then quickly pulling it back.

"You seem to know real quality," Blake commented from his side. "You can touch it," he chuckled.

Nicholas was grinning as he touched the plane.

"These are called X-Wings. They are the first version of them, so to speak. When in attack position, the wings split in two, making four wings for each plane," Blake said as Nicholas moved his hands along the plane.

"And they have more guns and higher speeds than the Naboo fighters. Undoubtedly, they are more versatile and gravity-defiant as well. They must be a thrill to fly," Nicholas said, speaking more to himself than anyone else.

"Yes, actually. You appreciate good fighters?" Blake asked with surprise.

"Yes. There is almost nothing better to have than a fighter that is able to outmaneuver and outdistance enemy planes," Nicholas nodded.

"You speak from experience," Obi Wan said.

Nicholas glanced at him a bit nervously and then said, "Yes. I have had much experience concerning fighters and enemy planes."

"Would you care to fly it sometime? Right now I am the only test pilot. Soon, we will be having an older pilot named Bel Iblis come and test them as well, but for now it's just me," Blake offered.

"Master?" Nicholas asked, looking at Obi Wan.

"Perhaps. Flying is a great part of Jedi training. I will give you an hour every day to fly, Nicholas. But the rest of the time must be spent in devoted studies," Obi Wan said, trying to look firm, but finding that he was smiling in spite of himself at Nicholas' excitement.

"Thank you! I will do as you say, master," Nicholas smiled.

"You may start tomorrow," Obi Wan nodded. "Does that sound reasonable, Blake?"

"More than reasonable."

"You will need to teach him how to fly these, of course," Obi Wan said.

"I think he will be teaching me more than I can teach him," Blake said with a smile.

Nicholas was beaming as he and Obi Wan approached the waterfall again a short while later.

"Now, I won't fall this time," Nicholas mumbled as Obi Wan handed him a large stick.

"You go first this time, and try to be careful. I don't want to fish you out again."

Nicholas was tempted to correct Obi Wan and inform him that he had gotten out of the water by himself, but he humbly remained silent and stepped out onto the first rock. Obi Wan watched him carefully as he leaped from one rock to the next, twirling his stick properly as he went. This young man was certainly different, and Obi Wan tried hard to suppress his pride in Nicholas. He didn't want Nicholas to feel the pride that was nearly overflowing from his master. Unknowingly, Nicholas had passed one of the greatest Jedi tests that Obi Wan knew of. Many of the other masters disagreed with him, but Obi Wan believed that submissiveness and a soft heart to learn were two of the greatest assets of a Jedi. It didn't matter how much power one had if he was unable to keep it controlled and did not know how to learn from his mistakes and try again.

It wasn't until Nicholas had reached the middle of the rock path that he felt a small warning alarm go off in the back of his mind. He stopped moving, trying to sense what it was that was bothering him. Suddenly, he turned around and raised his stick in front of his face. A small rock bounced harmlessly off the stick, and then another one, a bit larger and moving faster, rose out of the water and flew towards him. Nicholas swung his stick, catching the rock on the edge of it and watching as it bounced into the sea.

"If you want to pass this test," Obi Wan called to him, "you will have to think carefully and not depend on your stick."

Nicholas nodded and then watched as an even larger rock flew towards him. He raised his stick to interfere, and the rock hit into it, breaking the stick in half.

"Well, that won't work," Nicholas said, and then threw the sticks into the water.

To Obi Wan's amusement, instead of continuing to try and fight, Nicholas leaped to the next rock, and then the next. It was a clever move, but not what Obi Wan had wanted to see. Another rock was flung out of the water and towards Nicholas, moving rapidly towards his head. Anakin had trained Nicholas only slightly in the ways of the force, but Obi Wan wanted to see how truly fast Nicholas was in his learning. He was not disappointed. Nicholas jumped to the next rock, but as he did so, he raised his hand slightly, and the rock stopped and trembled for less than a second, giving him enough time to reach the shore before he let go of his hold on the rock and it fell into the water.

Nicholas was gasping on the shore as Obi Wan crossed the water and stood next to him. Obi Wan noticed that Nicholas' arm was trembling, and he nodded his head with approval.

"That was well done Nicholas."

"Thank you sir."

"That was a new experience, and you did well. How does your arm feel?"

"Exhausted," Nicholas sighed.

"As you grow stronger in the force, using it will no longer hurt as much," Obi Wan spoke as the two walked side-by-side back towards the houses.

"Master Obi Wan," Nicholas spoke as he caught his breath.

"Yes?"

"Why do we even use the force? Couldn't we just as easily drop down low or spring back if things are being thrown at us? And why use it if we aren't supposed to use it as a weapon?"

"Excellent questions, Nicholas. We use the force to sense danger before it happens, that way we are able to protect others and ourselves. We are also physically strengthened by it. For instance, I may not look like the most athletic person in the galaxy, but with the force, I can jump higher than most other men and can oftentimes run faster. I can do things that I wouldn't be able to do without it. As for using the force as a weapon, only the dark side does that. They use the force to confuse us and to brutally attack us. My master was killed in that way. When you have your first encounter with the dark side, you will understand."

"Won't other people think that we are part of some hokey religion?" Nicholas asked.

"The force is a tool, Nicholas, not a lifestyle. Our lifestyle is to keep peace in the galaxy. Sometimes that means going to battle. We only use the force when it is necessary."

"Oh good," Nicholas sighed. "For a minute there I thought that was what I was going to spend the rest of my life doing. I couldn't bear to have the force as a religion."

"You are quite an independent thinker," Obi Wan noted.

"I suppose so."

A whole week passed before Obi Wan contacted the Jedi Council on Coruscant. He informed Yoda and Mace Windu of his student's progress and of the senator's welfare. He and Nicholas would be visiting the palace and Anakin often, he informed them. The other Jedi were especially interested in Nicholas' learning, and they were all a bit amused by Obi Wan's accounts of swimming lessons and flying. Nicholas, he informed them, was an excellent pilot, and he still had a great disliking for the water. He was obedient, however, and obeyed whatever Obi Wan told him to.

After Obi Wan had left, Mace Windu and Yoda spoke amongst themselves about Nicholas.

"He doesn't sound like the typical Jade," Mace Windu commented.

Yoda frowned and shook his head. "Clouded, our thoughts still are. Perhaps Nicholas is the promised one, and we were wrong about Anakin."

"No," Mace Windu said. "Anakin is the chosen one. Nicholas is only a new student."

"Continue to watch this young student, we must," Yoda said, and Mace Windu nodded, his thoughts afar off.


	3. Chapter 3: The Hunt Begins

**Here's the next chapter, folks! Please, please review! **

**Chapter 3: The Hunt Begins**

Two months of uninterrupted training passed for Nicholas, and Obi Wan found that his student was growing stronger with every passing day. He brought Nicholas to the palace frequently where they had small training sessions with Anakin, who was still faster with the lightsaber than Nicholas, but to Obi Wan's concern, seemed to be falling behind Nicholas' fast thinking and quick movements.

"Blake, I think I should call it quits for the day. Master Obi Wan will be most upset if I don't get into the palace and meet him and Anakin on time," Nicholas said, sliding back out from underneath one of the X-Wings.

"Alright. I'll leave with you then. Good job on the painting, by the way. She looks spectacular," Blake said, noting the X-Wings gold-tipped wings and the gold markings on her nose.

"Thank you. These ships are certainly beauties," Nicholas said as he stood up and wiped his face, trying to get an oil smudge off it.

"You know, it's hard sometimes for me to think of you as being a Jedi trainee," Blake commented as he and Nicholas walked to the front of the hangar.

"Oh?"

"You just don't seem to be as uptight as all of the other Jedi that I have met before."

"I like to enjoy life, I suppose, and I show it," Nicholas laughed. "Oh, I need to grab my bag. I'll turn the lights off in here. You go ahead home, Blake. I know your family is waiting for you," he said.

"All right. See you tomorrow, Nicholas," Blake smiled, and then left the hangar.

Nicholas went back to the X-Wing he had been working on and grabbed a faded green bag that was next to it.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, patting the X-Wing's side and then walking to the front of the hangar. He turned off the lights and then stepped out of the hangar, locking and closing the door behind him.

A sudden dreadful feeling overcame Nicholas, and instantly, he began to run, his heart pounding wildly for reasons that he did not understand. Ten seconds later, as Nicholas instinctively fell onto the ground, his hands over his head, he understood why that strange feeling had overcome him. His eyes were on the hangar as it suddenly exploded, pieces of metal and wood flying over one hundred feet into the air. He shut his eyes tightly as the debris began to rain down on him, metal hitting his head and back, and burning piece of wood landing on his heavy clothing. Sirens began to wail in the palace and village, and everyone, in a panic, began to run into their homes. Soldiers rushed out of the palace, running to the hangar that was no longer there.

Nicholas leaped off the ground and gazed up at the sky. There, disappearing quickly from view, were huge ships. Nicholas turned and ran towards the palace, ignoring the burning and stinging sensations that covered his body. He reached the side of one of the walls and began to climb up it, landing on one balcony, and then climbing some more. He climbed until he had reached the very top tower of the Naboo palace, and then hastily pulled his binoculars out of his bag. "Don't be gone yet," he whispered as he raised the binoculars to his eyes and gazed up at the sky. The ships were almost invisible by that time, but he noticed that they had a distinct triangular shape. He put his binoculars back in the bag and then turned to see the hangar, men running about it, trying to put out the flames that were leaping off the ground.

"What happened?" Obi Wan gasped as he and Blake ran across the palace courtyard and towards the flames.

"I don't know! Nicholas had gone to get his bag! Perhaps he accidentally hit something!" Blake said, and then came to a halt alongside Obi Wan. "Ten new X-Wings. Gone," he sighed miserably.

"At least the other hangar wasn't damaged," one of the soldiers said.

"Do you know if anyone was in there?" Blake asked worriedly.

"I have no idea, but with the damage someone caused, it would have been best for him to be in there," the soldier growled.

"Obi Wan, Nicholas might have been in there!" Blake exclaimed.

He found that the Jedi master had his eyes closed tightly, as though he was thinking. After a few seconds, Obi Wan opened his eyes slowly and then shook his head.

"No, Nicholas wasn't in there, but he almost was. I need to find him."

Having said that, Obi Wan turned away and ran towards the palace.

"Master, is everything all right?" Anakin asked worriedly from the senator's side as Obi Wan approached him.

"No, but have you seen Nicholas?"

"I believe one of the guards was speaking of someone climbing up a wall somewhere, Obi Wan, but they did not know who it was," Senator Amidala said quietly.

"What happened?" Anakin asked.

"One of the X-Wing hangars exploded a few seconds after Nicholas left it. I need you to help me find him, if the senator's guards will be able to stay with her," Obi Wan said, turning to one of the guards.

"Of course, sir. There are fifteen of us here."

"Very well then. Come quickly, Anakin. We need to find Nicholas!"

An hour had passed before Anakin approached Obi Wan, the two having separated.

"He must know he's in trouble and is hiding," Anakin said as he came to a stop in front of Obi Wan.

"That doesn't sound like something Nicholas would do. I've been calling for him, though, and he hasn't answered yet," Obi Wan said worriedly.

"I guess we'll have to keep looking," Anakin sighed and then turned away, walking down the hall again.

He and Obi Wan had searched the whole palace and surrounding property but had not found Nicholas. Anakin stopped suddenly and closed his eyes.

"He might be able to answer me," he whispered, and then said quietly, "Nicholas."

A few silent seconds passed, and then he called again.

"Nicholas."

A sudden impulse touched Anakin's mind, and he gazed up.

"Where are you?" he asked. Another sensation came, and Anakin nodded. "Master Obi Wan!" he called out, running back down the hall. "I found him!"

A gentle breeze rustled Nicholas' hair a bit, and he took in deep breaths of the fresh air. A noise from the side of the tower caused him to stand up and ask, "Who's there?"

"Obi Wan, Nicholas. Have you been here the whole time?" Obi Wan asked, very worried.

"I have been."

"Anakin and I have been searching for you for an hour now!"

"I was up here the whole time. I am sorry for the trouble," Nicholas said.

Obi Wan finished climbing onto the tower and then sat down next to Nicholas with a sigh.

"Nicholas, you are in great trouble."

"I am?" Nicholas asked, shocked.

"Yes. Many in the palace believe that you might possibly have caused the explosion, and the Jedi Council is greatly troubled."

"But master, I didn't! There were enemy ships that caused it!" Nicholas panicked.

"How do you know?"

"I saw them!"

"No one else did."

"No one else looked!" Nicholas exclaimed. "Master Obi Wan, I saw two ships going back into space after the explosion. That's why I came up here! I thought for sure that someone else would have seen them and warned the palace!"

"Why did you not come back down?" Obi Wan frowned.

Nicholas closed his mouth and lowered his head. "I saw the sky," he whispered.

"What about it?"

"It was beautiful."

Obi Wan was about to speak again, when he looked up and suddenly felt a feeling of compassion come over him. The sky was very beautiful. It was dark blue, and it seemed as though every single star in the galaxy had decided to grace it that evening.

"You didn't cause the explosion, did you?" he asked quietly.

"No sir. I promise to you, there were two ships that destroyed it."

Obi Wan put his hand on Nicholas' shoulder and said gently, "You realize that you will still have to stand before the Naboo leaders and before the Jedi Council and explain yourself."

"Yes sir."

"Come back down, Nicholas, and let's get this over with," Obi Wan sighed.

A few minutes later Nicholas stood before Queen Jamilia and her royal council, all eyes on him as he was interrogated.

"Tell us what happened, Nicholas," one of the queen's officials said.

"I had just finished turning out the lights in the hangar and had left it, locking the door, of course, when I suddenly felt that I wasn't safe. I started to run, and then, just in time, I dove onto the ground and stayed there. I watched as the hangar exploded, and then afterwards, I stood back up and looked at the sky to see two large ships of some sort ahead. I ran to the palace and then climbed to the top of the highest tower. Once there, I pulled out my binoculars and saw the ships disappearing."

"What did the ships look like?"

"They were triangular shaped."

"How did our security not see it, but you did?" the leader asked.

Nicholas opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it again.

"Speak, Jedi Padawan," the official demanded.

"There are things called cloaking shields, sir, that make it so that you cannot see enemies until they are right on top of you. It's fairly new technology, but it's obviously quite deadly and effective."

To Nicholas' shock, many of the officials in the room began to laugh, and Queen Jamilia herself began to smile.

"New technology, good sir? Do you not know that Naboo has one of the highest security systems in the galaxy, as well as the newest technology?"

Nicholas' face began to turn bright red and he felt a great deal of anger rising up within him, but he controlled it expertly as he spoke.

"Begging the council's pardon, but compared to many systems, Naboo is far behind in technology. The greatest thing you have here are your X-Wings, and obviously, the enemy has already discovered them."

The council was silenced for a moment, and then the questioning official asked, "And what do you know of technology?"

"I know a great deal. I have been all throughout the galaxy and know many things," Nicholas said easily.

"You are rather an impulsive young man," Queen Jamilia said quietly. "You act as though you know more than the rest of us here."

"My lady, may I please speak?" A gentle voice asked from across the room.

"Yes, Senator Amidala."

Padme Amidala stood up and faced the council with a determined, strong expression on her pretty face.

"What Nicholas says is quite true. We are very much behind on technology. Coruscant is not even as advanced in technology as some of the other planets. The Trade Federation, for example, has many weapons that we most likely do not even know about. Could they have perhaps destroyed the hangar?"

The council began to whisper amongst them, and Nicholas felt a trickle of sweat rolling down his forehead. He realized that he was in a tricky predicament, and that there was no real evidence showing that he had not destroyed the hangar.

Finally, Queen Jamilia stood up.

"I believe, due to the lack of evidence, that Nicholas should be pardoned of whatever offenses may be held against him at this time. If we later find that he is truly the culprit, than he will be in great dishonor. As for now, let us go back to our business for the evening."

"My lady, a question, if you please?" Obi Wan asked, standing up.

"Yes Master Obi Wan Kenobi?"

"I believe that my Padawan and I should remain in the palace this evening. I think it would be wisest, if in case Nicholas actually saw something. May we please stay within the palace this evening?"

"A wise thought, Master Obi Wan. Yes, if you please, remain in the palace," the queen nodded. "You all are dismissed. Good evening."

"You spoke well, Nicholas," Obi Wan said as he and Nicholas entered the room that was assigned to them for the evening.

"Thank you, master, but I sense that you don't believe me," Nicholas sighed.

"I am not sure what to believe, Nicholas. I do know that we must go to the Jedi Council now, and they will not be as easy on you as the Naboo royal council was."

"How am I going to be able to explain this to them?" Nicholas asked, shaking his head.

"Tell them the truth. That is the best you can do," Obi Wan said, putting a hand on Nicholas' shoulder as he closed the bedroom door.

"What happened Master Obi Wan?" Mace Windu asked, his face hard as iron as his holographic image blurred a bit.

"One of the new, secret X-Wing hangars exploded today. Nicholas was the last one out of the building," Obi Wan said simply.

A frown crossed Yoda's face. "True, is this?"

"We don't know sir. Nicholas claims that he did not destroy the building and that two enemy ships of some sort did. The problem is that no one else has seen the ships," Obi Wan said.

"Nicholas, come where we can see you," Mace Windu demanded, and Nicholas obediently stepped forward. "Did you have anything to do with the explosion?"

Nicholas looked him completely in the eyes and said with all the strength he could muster, "No sir."

"What did the ships look like?"

"They were triangular-shaped. That is all that I know," Nicholas answered.

"You were the last one out of the hangar?" Mace Windu asked.

"Yes sir."

"I don't believe you realize, young Nicholas, how much you are at stake in all of this. You don't understand the full bad reputation that your family has, do you?" Mace Windu sighed.

"Why does my family keep getting involved? I am the only one alive," Nicholas asked.

"The Jades were almost all evil Jedi knights of some sort or another, Nicholas, and you getting involved in evil schemes like blowing up a hangar is very characteristic of your family."

"But I didn't do it!" Nicholas pleaded.

"Perhaps you did and perhaps you didn't. The problem is that you were involved."

Nicholas was tempted to sit down then and there and end the conversation, but he calmly remained standing.

"What can I do to prove to you that I didn't have anything to do with it?"

"There is no way to prove it, unless someone from those ships that you supposedly saw comes and tells us," Mace Windu said, shaking his head. "Obi Wan, you will come back soon. Nicholas will have to be expelled from the order."

"But…" Obi Wan began, but Mace Windu shook his head.

"He is a Jade, Obi Wan. Remember all that the Jades have done and notice how much this young one is beginning to somehow get involved in dangerous, destructive occurrences. Good bye, and may the force be with you."

The hologram faded, and Nicholas collapsed on the floor.

"I didn't do it! Why won't anyone believe me?" he asked.

"These are dark times, Nicholas. The Jedi are afraid of risking anything right now. As it is, we barely have enough knights to support us if anything wrong should happen," Obi Wan explained. "Now, try and get some sleep. You may sleep on the couch in here. Good night."

Nicholas did not answer as Obi Wan left the large living room and went into the connecting bedroom.

Nicholas continued to sit on the hard floor, confused and upset. He had hardly been given a chance, and everyone was against him. Well, almost everyone. When the whole royal council had laughed at him, three people hadn't. Anakin, Padme, and Obi Wan had found nothing amusing about the situation. What really upset Nicholas, though, was that everyone thought he had let him or her down, that he had hurt them. He tried to sort out his thoughts, and as he did so, a great heaviness came on him. It was a great pressure, as though the whole ceiling was about to fall. It made Nicholas very uncomfortable, and he got off the floor and walked to the open balcony, hoping that the peace of the night would soothe his nerves. He stepped onto the balcony and gazed up at the thousands of stars that were shining overhead.

"How can I prove my innocence to them?" he asked, and shook his head.

As he shook his head, a sudden, nearly unnoticeable movement from the sky caught his eye. He looked up quickly, and there, slowly approaching the palace, was a great ship, several other smaller ships behind them.

"No!" he gasped, and not wasting another moment, he started shouting. "Attack! We are under attack!"

Lights began to turn on quickly in the palace as Nicholas continued to yell, running back into his room.

"Obi Wan! We are under attack!"

"How do you…" Obi Wan began, but a sudden pelting noise from outside and the screams of many people caused him to close his mouth again. "Nicholas, go into the hall and keep yelling! Bring your blaster with you!" Obi Wan ordered and Nicholas nodded.

Without wasting another second, he ran out into the hallway, shouting at the top of his lungs, "We are under attack! We are under attack!"

Doors began to slam open and guards began to rush into the hallway. Anakin stepped quickly out of his room, which was connected to Padme's living room.

"What is it? Nicholas, what is happening?"

"We are under attack! There are ships coming in from the north!"

"Tell Master Obi Wan that I will be guarding the senator!" Anakin ordered and then slammed his door shut.

Nicholas could hear the hissing of Anakin's lightsaber as he turned back around to speak to Obi Wan. Obi Wan was already standing there, his lightsaber in hand.

"Where are the guards going?" he asked.

"To the palace courtyard!" Nicholas shouted, and the two of them began to run down the hall, sirens wailing all throughout the palace.

"Where is Anakin?"

"Guarding the senator!" Nicholas answered.

"Good!"

The two men ran throughout the palace, finally coming to the throne room where guards were all waiting in attack position.

"Who are our attackers?" Obi Wan asked, crouching behind a large piece of furniture.

"We aren't sure. It looks like they may be part of the Trade Federation!" One of the guards shouted over a sudden blast of gunfire from the hallway.

"They landed already?" Obi Wan asked.

"Yes! Once they were spotted, they moved in quickly! There are troops on the ground now! Men, hold fire until I give the order!" the guard ordered.

"Yes sir!"

"They are moving this way!" One young man panicked.

"Nicholas, get behind me," Obi Wan whispered as he ignited his lightsaber.

"Yes sir."

Nicholas knelt down as he was ordered and then pulled his blaster out of its leg holster.

The fire suddenly ceased, and the throne room was filled with a deadly, frightening silence.

"They are coming," Nicholas whispered, a sudden unexplainable feeling of darkness flowing through him.

"Yes. Do you feel that, Nicholas?" Obi Wan asked.

"Yes. I feel cold dread. It's so strong, I feel like it's going to explode," Nicholas shivered.

"I've never felt it this powerfully before," Obi Wan said, and then gulped. "I believe he himself is here."

"Who?"

"Lord Sidious. The dark lord himself."

A sudden hissing sound could be heard at the front of the room, and then the doors exploded inward. Droids began to swarm into the room, firing wildly at the guards who were crouched behind columns and furniture.

"Fire!" the lead guard cried, and instantly the room was full of green and red lasers lashing at each other.

Nicholas aimed his blaster again and again, each time bringing down another droid, but the droids continued to file into the room.

"He's coming," Obi Wan whispered hoarsely.

"Master, something's wrong!" Nicholas suddenly cried.

"I know! He's coming!"

"It's not him! It's Anakin! He needs help!" Nicholas shouted.

"What?"

"Something's happening to the senator!"

"Go, Nicholas! Get out of here and help Anakin!" Obi Wan ordered, and Nicholas obediently left.

Nicholas ran out of the room, racing back towards the apartment suites. Lasers were flashing about him as he ran down one hall after the next, finally coming to the senator's room. The door was blown open and several droids were leaving the room through another door. Nicholas leaped inside and immediately spotted Anakin lying on the floor, an ugly cut underneath his eye.

"Anakin!" Nicholas shouted, running to the man and shaking his shoulders roughly. "Anakin! Wake up!"

Anakin opened his eyes. "Padme! Where's Padme?" he suddenly panicked, grabbing Nicholas' arms.

"I don't know! What happened?"

"I got hit with a stun laser! Padme! Padme!" Anakin cried worriedly. "Where is she?" he gasped, running after the droids. He and Nicholas followed the droids to an open balcony.

"Step back!" Anakin snapped viciously and then brought all of the droids down with one swing from his lightsaber.

"They are leaving!" Nicholas shouted, grabbing Anakin's arm and pointing.

Sure enough, two large ships were lifting off the ground, turbo blasting into space.

"They have Padme!" Anakin groaned, spinning around and running back into the room. "I was supposed to protect her!"

"And you did the best you could," Nicholas tried to comfort, but Anakin would hear none of it.

"I've failed," he groaned.

"Anakin! Nicholas!" A voice shouted from out of the room, and Obi Wan suddenly charged into the suite. "Where is Padme?"

"She was captured!" Anakin shouted, great anger in his voice.

"Did they bring her onto the ship?" Obi Wan asked worriedly.

"I think so. I don't know how long I was unconscious. They stunned me," Anakin said.

"We must tell the Jedi council immediately!" Obi Wan declared.

"Is the queen safe?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes. Come. The enemies are gone and there are many wounded to be cared for," Obi Wan sighed.

"Are the rest of the X-Wings safe?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes."

The Jedi Council was very distressed as Obi Wan retold to them the account of the attack. They were even more upset when they heard that Obi Wan had seen Lord Sidious.

"Nicholas," Mace Windu finally said, turning his head to look at Nicholas.

"Yes sir?"

"We owe you an apology. You were right. You may stay in the Order."

"Thank you sir."

"What can we do to show you our complete sorrow at our unjust decision?" Yoda asked.

"May I make a suggestion sir?" Nicholas asked.

"Go ahead," Yoda nodded.

"The next few weeks will probably be filled with searching for the senator. I believe that more needs to be done than that. We need to find the true source of these attacks and find out who Lord Sidious really is."

"Of course, young Padawan. We have been trying that," Yoda spoke.

"Yes sir, but while you are searching for the senator, may I please search for one who could possibly aid us greatly in our desire to defeat the dark side?"

Yoda and Mace Windu exchanged glanced.

"Who, Nicholas?" Mace Windu asked.

Nicholas took a deep breath and then let it out slowly again. "The undefeatable Jedi, sir."

Obi Wan gasped, and Mace Windu sat back with surprise.

"That is nothing but a myth, a legend, Nicholas."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Nicholas said. "I suppose we will never know if we don't try and find this person. Besides, then I would be out of your way, and I know you wouldn't mind that for a short while."

Mace Windu began to chuckle and then turned his head to speak with the other Jedi masters.

"Should we let Nicholas go for a short while?" he asked.

Everyone agreed to Nicholas' idea, and he was given leave to search for the Jedi for one month. After the month was over, he was to return to Coruscant. He was, of course, to constantly give the other Jedi updates, say, once every week. Nicholas thanked them, and then, after the hologram was gone, he began to pack his things.

"I am worried about you, Nicholas. This will not be an easy task, and you are still young in the ways of the force," Obi Wan said as he watched Nicholas.

"I will be fine, master. Just think how wonderful it would be if I found the undefeatable Jedi! He could probably tell us where the senator is!"

"What if there is no such person?" Obi Wan sighed.

"We have to have faith that there is one. There, I am all packed. Now I need to ask if I can bring one of the X-Wings with me."

"I have already spoken to Blake and Captain Bel Iblis. They have given you permission to take one of the planes with you. Will you be wanting a droid for your journey?"

"No thank you. I am used to flying without one."

"Very well then. Are you leaving now?"

"I will leave tomorrow morning, sir."

"Oh, do be careful Nicholas."

"I will be."

Morning came, and Nicholas was up early. Obi Wan walked out of the palace with him and towards the hangar.

"You will remember to let me know how you are faring?" he asked.

"Yes sir."

"Very well then. You look so different in those clothes," Obi Wan said, looking at Nicholas' white Tatooine garb.

"And I feel much more comfortable. Ah, here we are."

Nicholas opened the door to the hangar and then stepped inside. Anakin and Blake were waiting by one of the X-Wings.

"Be careful, Nicholas," Anakin said as Blake handed him a helmet.

"I will be, thank you."

"Just think! You will be the first one to try out the new aircraft in space!" Blake congratulated and then slapped Nicholas on the back. "Make sure you let Captain Bel Iblis and I know how she flies."

"I will."

Nicholas climbed up the ladder next to his X-Wing and then climbed into the open cockpit, pulling on black gloves as he did so. He put his helmet on and then strapped himself into his seat.

"May the force be with you Nicholas," Obi Wan said and Anakin saluted.

Nicholas nodded and then moved his hands towards the controls. The engines began to roar, and the cockpit window slowly closed down over him. Blake and Captain Bel Iblis quickly opened the gigantic hangar door, and Nicholas drove the X-Wing out onto the grassy field that served as a flight line. He signaled to the people watching from the ground, and then, the X-Wing roared across the field and shot up into the sky.

"I am worried about him," Obi Wan sighed as the X-Wing disappeared from sight.

"I think he will be all right," Anakin said.


	4. Chapter 4: Crystal

**Alright everyone! Here's chapter four! If you could please review, that would be great!**

**Chapter Four: Crystal**

Nicholas sat back comfortably as the X-Wing soared through space.

"It's been awhile," he told himself as he flew. "I think the first place I will go is to Alderaan. That's the perfect planet to hide on. It doesn't have much commerce with the other planets and there aren't that many people. Why would such a great Jedi, if there really is one, want to hide?"

He shrugged his shoulders and then looked at the computer.

"It's not too far away, either. Let's try this new lightspeed maneuver. I was never able to try it on Naboo."

Nicholas pulled back the lightspeed switch and watched as the meter for it began to move slowly.

"This is supposedly supposed to jump to lightspeed in less than one minute, faster than any other ship," Nicholas whispered as the meter continued to move.

Suddenly, the meter hit its highest point, and Nicholas pulled back on his throttle. The stars in front of him suddenly turned into lines, and with a loud "Woo hoo!" Nicholas enjoyed the fastest lightspeed that there was in that time.

A few seconds later the X-Wing was back to its normal speed, and Nicholas was gazing at several planets on his computer.

"Two more planets to go. How long has this trip been so far?" he glanced at his time chart. "Three hours. I hope I get to Alderaan soon."

Half an hour passed before a beautiful blue and green planet came into sight. "Oh bother, another water planet," Nicholas sighed as he glanced at the map.

"Oh well. At least I am there now."

Slowly, he began to lower the X-Wing as it neared Alderaan. A few minutes passed before he was flying through the Alderaan sky, gazing down at the quaint houses below.

"It's no wonder I was never assigned to come here," he whispered to himself.

A thick, pleasant voice suddenly cut through his headset.

"This is ground control. Please identify yourself."

"I am Nicholas from Naboo," Nicholas said cheerfully.

"What business do you have here?"

"I am searching for someone."

"Very well then. Land at Platform Five," ground control ordered.

"Yes sir. Thank you."

Nicholas landed the X-Wing and then climbed out of the cockpit, pulling off his gloves and helmet as he did so. The weather was very pleasant with a light breeze and sunny skies. He climbed down the ladder, the cockpit closing back down over his seat.

"Hello Alderaan," Nicholas said, touching the ground and then walking towards the entrance of the walls surrounding the landing platform.

A man was waiting for him at the door, and Nicholas put a hand in his pocket.

"How much?" he asked.

"Two hundred."

He gave the man some coins and noticed with a bit of curiosity that the man had stared at his outfit before leaving the landing platform.

Right outside of the landing platform was a market of sorts, and Nicholas stepped into it with interest. Vendors were selling fruit that he had never seen before, and everyone, he noticed, was staring at his clothes.

"What is the matter?" he asked himself, as eyes followed him across the marketplace.

Hungry, Nicholas stopped at a vendor and glanced at his fruit.

"How much for one of those?" he asked, gazing at a purple and orange fruit.

"Two shillings."

Nicholas took the money out of his pocket and gave it to the man.

"Just out of curiosity, is there a stain or something on my shirt?" he asked.

"No," the man chuckled.

"Then what is the problem with me?" Nicholas asked, moving his head closer to the man and whispering.

"You're from Tatooine, aren't you?" the man asked.

"Originally. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Jabba the Hutt just recently cheated us out of a great deal of money, and because of that, we aren't very fond of Tatooine citizens. You're the first who's brave enough to land here. Just be thankful that you haven't been jumped yet."

"Pardon?" Nicholas asked. "I know Jabba's a schemer, but I didn't think he'd ever smuggle an innocent planet out of its money!"

"Well, he did. Did you bring company with you?" the man asked, glancing over Nicholas' shoulder.

Nicholas looked over his shoulder to see three men in white body armor, heavy blasters in their arms.

"No, I didn't."

"Oh. It looked like they followed you in."

"I was followed?"

Nicholas began to think hard, trying to come up with some solution to this predicament. He had never seen those men before, and it looked like if he weren't beat up by them, the citizens of Alderaan would do it.

A man in a brown robe, his face hidden, suddenly became visible in the crowd, rushing towards Nicholas and the vendor.

"Ah! Tress, I thought you might show up today!" the vendor said cheerfully.

"What is going on?" the man asked, his voice deep and hard to hear.

"Seems those troopers are after Mr. Tatooine here."

"What'd he do?"

"I didn't do anything!" Nicholas declared.

"Be quiet!" the robed man snapped, and then turned his head quickly to look at the troopers. "If you want to be safe, then you need to come with me."

"I don't even know who you are," Nicholas frowned.

A red laser suddenly flashed past his head, hitting a wall behind him, and he grabbed the robed man's arm.

"Alright, I'm coming with you!"

"I'll see you later, Tress!" the vendor waved.

"Right."

The robed man zoomed in and out of shopping people, Nicholas holding onto the sleeve of his cloak to try and keep up.

"Who are you?" he asked as they ran.

"Tress, a citizen of Alderaan. Looks like you managed to stir up a ruckus," Tress growled.

"Why are you covering your face?"

"Because I don't trust you."

"Oh. Then why are you saving me?"

"Stop asking questions!" Tress snapped, and Nicholas obediently closed his mouth.

He followed Tress through a large mass of houses and then, without even knowing exactly how he got there, he was pulled into a doorway and a door was slammed shut behind him.

"Looks like you wanted to get yourself killed," Tress commented as he rushed over to a bar leaning against a couch and brought it to the door. He locked it in place and then sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for someone," Nicholas said.

"If you're looking for a smuggler, we don't have any here. And if you are looking for someone with a bounty on their head, we don't get along well with bounty hunters," Tress said rudely.

"I'm looking for a Jedi," Nicholas frowned.

"Oh really? How did you plan to find one?" Tress asked, crossing his arms, his face completely shadowed.

"Asking for him, I suppose."

"What's his name?"

"He doesn't have one. He's just known as the 'undefeatable Jedi.' I don't even know if there really is such a person," Nicholas explained, biting into his fruit.

"Then why search for one?"

"A senator from Naboo just got captured by someone. We think the captors may have been Trade Federation people. We need to find her."

"Senator Padme Amidala?" Tress asked.

"Yes! How did you know?"

"I couldn't think of many other senators from Naboo," Tress shrugged. "You must have had a long flight."

"That I did."

"Well then, there is some food on that table right there. Help yourself."

"Why are you being so nice all of a sudden? I thought everyone here loathed people from Tatooine."

"You are a Jedi. Jedi are to be respected, whether or not they are from Tatooine."

Tress watched quietly as Nicholas ate some of the offered food.

"You don't look much like a Jedi," he finally commented.

"I'm not a Jedi yet. I'm just a Padawan," Nicholas said.

"Well, there is a Jedi here, if you're looking for one."

"Really? Where?"

"Right here," Tress said.

"You?"

"Yes. How else do you think I would have known to save you?"

"Do you know where the 'undefeatable Jedi' is? I have been searching for him for awhile."

"No, I don't know where he is," Tress said. "He may be on this planet, for all I know. It appears that you will be staying here for several days."

"Yes sir."

"I will see if those in the senate building will let you stay there. You will be much safer there than you would be here. For now, you may spend the night here. I am going to speak to the senators now. Please stay here and make yourself comfortable," Tress said, standing up and removing the bar from the door.

"Thank you for everything."

Tress turned to look at Nicholas. "You are welcome. It appears that you could also use some more training."

"I could always use more," Nicholas smiled.

"Very well then. We will discuss that when I get back."

After Tress had left the house, Nicholas glanced around him, noticing the simple beauty of the home. The furniture was all light blue with dark brown wood tables. Light was shining in from a large back window. Several plants were throughout the living room, gracing windowsills and tables. It had a bit of a feminine touch to it, Nicholas noticed with a frown. He didn't trust Tress, and undoubtedly neither would the Jedi masters. Any Jedi that was unknown or separated from the Council was considered an outcast. Still, something seemed different about Tress, something special.

Tress returned an hour later.

"The senators have agreed to let you stay in their building while you are here. Tonight, though, while people are still searching for you, you will be safest here. Now, for your training. What have you done?"

Nicholas told Tress all that he had learned about the force and physical training in general.

Tress listened carefully, and after Nicholas was finished speaking, he said, "Indeed, there is still much for you to learn."

"I don't know if I can trust you to teach me. You are separated from the Jedi Council. Are you a dark knight?"

"If I was a dark knight, why would I be protecting you?"

"Still, I would feel safer if I could see your face. Perhaps I should talk to Master Obi Wan about you this evening."

"No!" Tress suddenly declared, standing up. "Do not tell any of your masters about me."

"Why not?"

"I will explain it to you tomorrow. For now, you must keep me a secret."

"If I don't tell my masters about you tonight, will you show me who you are tomorrow?" Nicholas asked, standing up and suddenly realizing that Tress was quite a bit shorter than he was.

Tress frowned from beneath the robe, but then he said, "Very well. A deal's a deal. You don't tell your masters about me, and I will show you who I am tomorrow."

"Very well."

"I am going upstairs now. You may sleep on the couch. There are blankets right in that closet," Tress said as he began to walk to a set of stairs by the back door. "Good night," he said as he went up the stairs.

"Good night."

Nicholas fell asleep easily that night, the blankets being very comfortable, as well as the couch. He came to the conclusion that Tress wasn't really a dark knight; otherwise he would surely have been feeling uncomfortable. He looked forward to seeing Tress' face the next morning.

Morning came, and Nicholas sat up when he heard the front door opening.

"Who is it?" he called out, rubbing his eyes.

"Tress. I have brought breakfast," the gruff voice said, and then Tress stepped in and walked to his small kitchen.

Nicholas sat up, pushing the blankets off him, and then began to fold them.

"Did you sleep well?" Tress asked as he stepped out of the kitchen.

"Yes. Now then, you told me that I would be able to see your face this morning," Nicholas said as Tress crossed the room.

Tress stopped, his back turned towards Nicholas, and then said, "Yes, I did. Now I'm not altogether sure why I said that."

"Because it kept me from talking to my masters. Why are you so secretive?" Nicholas asked, frowning at Tress' obvious hesitance about showing himself.

"You will learn in good time," Tress said quietly, and to Nicholas' surprise, with a soft, different voice.

Tress moved his hands to his hood, his back still turned towards Nicholas, and then took the hood off. Dark brown hair flowed down from where the hood had been and Tress turned around slowly. Nicholas began to move farther away from Tress, keeping a respectful distance, as he suddenly realized the truth. Tress was no man. In front of Nicholas stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had dark green eyes and a lovely, perfect face.

"Now you understand," the woman said and Nicholas nodded.

"You didn't want to frighten me," he said.

"Yes. You would have thought that I brought you here for reasons other than the truth."

"The name Tress doesn't fit your appearance," Nicholas said, finding somehow that his mouth was dry and it was difficult to speak.

"No, I suppose it doesn't," she laughed lightly. "My name is Crystal."

She held out her hand, and Nicholas shook it, noticing how small it was.

"Now then, Nicholas, if you will sit down, we can eat breakfast, and then I will bring you to the senator building."

Nicholas sat down at the table, his eyes still on Crystal as she brought a bowl of fruit to the table.

"Help yourself. I will be right back," she said, putting the fruit on the table and then going upstairs.

She came back down a few minutes later dressed in a light blue dress with a long sleeved white shirt beneath it.

"I didn't want you to tell your masters about me because they would automatically be suspicious," she explained as she sat down at the table.

"Really?" Nicholas asked, waiting for her to begin eating before he did.

"Yes, and for several reasons. They do not know who I am. I know who all of them are," Crystal said.

"How?"

"I occasionally go to Coruscant with one of the senators. While there, I learn all I can about how the Jedi are faring. I also have other sources. For instance, I know some things about Anakin that perhaps no other Jedi knows, and I also know," here Crystal lowered her voice, "Where Senator Amidala is."

"You do?"

Crystal nodded. "I also know who Lord Sidious really is."

"Then why haven't you told us?" Nicholas gasped.

"The masters won't believe me. They are too blinded by the dark side to know anything right now. I have to earn their trust."

"You can do that by training me," Nicholas said.

"Yes, possibly. Either way, you could certainly use more training. If you were trained well enough, you would have known already that I am a woman and that I am a Jedi."

"How old are you?" Nicholas asked, shifting himself to get more comfortable.

"Does age really matter?" Crystal asked.

"I guess not, but I am still interested," Nicholas said, and something in his voice caused Crystal to frown.

"Do not forget the orders you have been given as a Jedi, Nicholas. I am eighteen."

"Indeed. Tell me, Crystal, how much Jedi training have you had, and how have you had it if you have never been part of the Council?" Nicholas asked with a grin.

"I have more training than Anakin, and I learned naturally how to use the force. It's not that difficult," Crystal said.

"But how?"

"No more questions," Crystal said, standing up. "Come, we must bring you to the senatorial building and must get you some new clothes. You cannot stay here without changing those clothes."

Half an hour later, Nicholas was walking through the village alongside Crystal, wearing a comfortable light blue suit. He had quickly learned how much the people of Alderaan loved Crystal. The children surrounded her as she walked, and the young men constantly spoke with her, asking her who Nicholas was and how they were going to spend the day. Men and women waved their hellos to her, and she waved back in return.

"The people love you," Nicholas commented as the senatorial building came into view.

"That is because I love them, and they know it," Crystal smiled.

Her smile nearly melted Nicholas, and he had to remind himself to be cautious.

"I will be bringing you to one of the senators, Senator Organa, and then, after showing you your room, you will begin your first training session with me," Crystal said, and Nicholas nodded.

"What exactly am I going to learn?"

"I am not sure what you will learn today yet. First, I want to see what you already know."

"What am I going to tell my masters?" Nicholas asked.

"Explain that you are still trying to find the 'undefeatable Jedi.' That is all that they need to know for right now."

Nicholas frowned, and then Crystal added, "You must learn to trust me, Nicholas. I already told you, I know many things that even the Council does not know, and if I am to train you, I must first have your trust."

"Of course, Crystal."

The weeks began to pass with both pleasure and pain for Nicholas. Crystal was an excellent teacher. Everyday she and Nicholas would go to the woods, children following them, and Crystal would instruct Nicholas, occasionally showing him what he needed to do. She trained him so effectively, that Nicholas was greatly strengthened by the time his month was almost over. He hadn't believed that he could get more muscle than he already had, but he was wrong. He found that his force strength had been greatly built up as well. He was able to move several large, heavy objects at a time while standing on his hands. He learned how to fight effectively with not one, but two lightsabers, on top of rocks in the water. Crystal was pleased with Nicholas' training, and it was with noticeable regret that she learned of Nicholas' promise to return to Coruscant in a month's time.

"You must leave for Coruscant tomorrow?" Crystal asked one bright morning as she and Nicholas were walking through the village. Nicholas glanced at her hair, flaming red with gold streaks in it, as it always looked in the sunlight, and nodded.

"Yes. I must return. Thank you so much for you training, Crystal. I feel much more prepared for things."

"You are welcome."

"I had wanted to ask if you would come back with me?"

"I had already answered that question. Yes, I will go back with you. You may not have found your 'undefeatable Jedi,' Nicholas, but there is still more training for you to undergo, and I want to continue to teach you. I will go back with you, but you must still not tell anyone whom I am. I will be going back as a servant. My name will be Tress again, and only when I am training you may you call me Crystal."

"What if the masters learn that I have had more training?" Nicholas asked worriedly.

"Then you will not worry, but leave that in my hands. I want to learn more about your masters and fellow Jedi before I am revealed, Nicholas."

"Very well then. There is room for the both of us in my X-Wing."

Crystal nodded her head, a serious look on her face.

"What are you so concerned about?" Nicholas asked.

"Concerned?" Crystal asked.

"Yes, I can feel it in you."

Crystal glanced at him with a bit of shock and then said calmly, "I am not necessarily concerned, Nicholas, but I am hoping that I will not learn some things about your companions that I do not want to learn."

"You are concerned, Crystal. Don't try and hide it. I can feel it," Nicholas said. "There is more on your mind than just that."

"How can you see me so clearly?" Crystal asked, and Nicholas could hear the worry in her voice.

"You trained me to see what other people are feeling, Crystal."

"I hadn't expected for you to see through me."

"I have been with you for a month now. What troubles you?"

"The Empire, Nicholas."

"The Empire?" Nicholas stopped walking and turned to stand in front of her. "What Empire?"

"Lord Sidious has his own empire now, Nicholas. Senator Amidala is being held captive by them."

"I thought it was the Trade Federation!"

"No," Crystal said, shaking her head. "There is more happening than what you can see, Nicholas."

"I know the senator had not been feeling well before she was captured, but that is all," Nicholas frowned.

"There is more to it than you realize," Crystal said. "Do not worry about it, Nicholas."

"Anything that bothers you bothers me," Nicholas smiled, and Crystal stepped back a bit.

"I won't be in Coruscant for very long, Nicholas."

"Why did you say that?"

"I just thought you wanted to know. Let's get back to the senatorial building so that way you can get ready to leave and so can I," Crystal said and walked around Nicholas.

He turned to follow her and noticed that she had quickened her speed. Something was really troubling her.

Children were flocking after Crystal and Nicholas the next day as they went towards the landing pad where the X-Wing was kept. Nicholas got into the X-Wing, and then the children encircled Crystal, putting their arms around her. Senator Organa was there with his wife, smiling at Crystal.

"When will you return to us, Crystal?" he asked, reaching out and giving her a hug.

"I don't know," she said sadly. She gazed at the houses and people in the distance and sighed. "I really don't know."

"Have a safe trip," the senator's wife said, giving Crystal another hug.

"Thank you."

"Fly safely now!" Senator Organa called to Nicholas.

"I will. Are you coming?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes. Good bye everyone," Crystal said, kneeling down and hugging the children some more before she climbed up to her place behind Nicholas, holding up the bottom of her plain white dress a bit as she entered the X-Wing. "Remember, I'm just Tress," she said as the hull began to close down over her.

"Of course. Are you comfortable back there?"

"Yes, thank you."

Crystal was quiet as the X-Wing lifted off of Alderaan and soared into space.

"I am sure you will like Coruscant," Nicholas said, but he sensed a deep dread from Crystal. "Crystal, are you okay?"

The feeling of dread suddenly went away, and Nicholas could no longer sense Crystal's feelings.

"Crystal?"

"Of course I'm fine. Why?"

Nicholas frowned as he tried again to sense Crystal's feelings, but could feel nothing.

"Hey, I lost contact," he said.

"Good. Now let's hope it stays that way the whole time I'm on Coruscant," Crystal said easily.

"You are so difficult to understand sometimes," Nicholas sighed.

"That's fine."

When Alderaan had disappeared and nothing could be seen but stars and blackness, Nicholas sat back a bit and thought. Crystal was asleep, and he thought of her behind him, her head leaning against the back of his chair, her dark eyes closed. She was a very beautiful woman, and he had come to learn over the past month that it wasn't just physical beauty. Deep inside, she was just as lovely. It would cause him a bit of grief when he got to Coruscant. Obi Wan wasn't likely to fall for Nicholas' having a servant. Not only that, but his training that she had given him was bound to come out sooner or later and cause suspicion. It would not be an easy task to sit back and trust Crystal, beautiful or not.


	5. Tress and the Jedi Council

**Hi there! It's been awhile since I've updated this story! Here's the next chapter. Please be sure and review! Thank you!**

**Chapter Five: Tress and the Jedi Council**

"X-Wing approaching!"

Obi Wan stood inside of the Coruscant Senate Meetinghouse and watched as the familiar X-Wing with gold wing tips landed carefully on its designated landing port. He was very excited to see Nicholas, even though the young man had been unable to find the undefeatable Jedi and the Jedi on Coruscant had not been able to locate Padme Amidala or her captors.

As soon as the X-Wing's engines ceased to roar, Obi Wan went to the landing pad and watched as the hull of the plane began to lift upwards.

"Master Obi Wan!" Nicholas shouted, taking off his helmet and climbing quickly down the ladder.

"Nicholas! So good to see you!" Obi Wan said, approaching him and giving him a hug. "How was your flight?"

"Good and smooth, master."

"I am glad to hear it. No further evidence of the undefeatable Jedi anywhere?"

"No sir. I am sorry. I didn't come back alone this time, though," Nicholas said brightly, trying to put as much enthusiasm in his voice as was possible.

"Really?" Obi Wan asked, eyebrow arched.

"Yes. I brought a servant with me. I figured that while I'm here I'll need someone to keep my living quarters clean, since you know how I like to rush about to get things done, never having any time to really clean anything," Nicholas said hurriedly.

"That's quite interesting," Obi Wan said and then looked at the X-Wing to see Crystal climbing out of the plane, her hood over her head.

"Yes. That is Tress. She's from Alderaan," Nicholas nodded.

"Tress, welcome to Coruscant," Obi Wan said a bit slowly, nodding to the woman.

He caught sight of her face as she nodded her head in return, remaining silent as all servants were supposed to do. She was certainly an attractive young lady, and his eyes shot to Nicholas' a bit worriedly.

"Nothing to worry about master," Nicholas said, putting his hand on Obi Wan's shoulder and turning him towards the building. "Have the Jedi learned anything since I have been gone?" he asked as he and Obi Wan walked into the building, Crystal following silently behind.

"Nothing at all. It seems Senator Amidala has completely disappeared," Obi Wan sighed. "You might want to be especially nice to Anakin. He keeps blaming himself for her capture."

"I will see what I can do, master," Nicholas nodded.

"Tomorrow morning we will begin your training again. It's been awhile since we have done your lessons," Obi Wan said tiredly.

"Are you well master?" Nicholas asked.

"I am all right. This whole hunt for Senator Amidala is really beginning to wear me out, as well as the other Jedi. Our not being able to find her can only mean one thing, Nicholas. Our vision is becoming even more blurred," Obi wan said sadly, shaking his head. Nicholas did not answer, but continued to walk through one of the large hallways. "You have the room that you had before, Nicholas. I am afraid nothing more can be done tonight."

"Will my servant have a room close to mine?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes, of course. She can have that empty room next to yours. Good night, Nicholas."

"Good night."

"So that is your master Obi Wan Kenobi?" Crystal whispered as Obi Wan walked down the hallway and out of sight.

"Yes. I am worried about him. He seems so tired," Nicholas said. "He's usually so lively and joyful."

"The dark side is all throughout this building, Nicholas. It is enough to wear anyone down," Crystal said, putting back her hood and stopping as soon as Nicholas did.

"This will be your room. I believe you are very close to the senator's apartments, maybe even next door," Nicholas smiled.

"Good. I will see you tomorrow morning, Nicholas," Crystal said as she opened her door.

"Crystal, wait," Nicholas said, reaching out to stop her.

"Yes?"

"Obi Wan said that I have a lesson tomorrow. What if I am far ahead of the lesson?"

Crystal smiled.

"Then you will have to show Obi Wan that you have been faithful in your studies while you have been gone. Good night."

"Good night."

Nicholas went into his room and was about to turn on the lights for his great living room when he saw someone standing out on the balcony at the back of the room. He reached out with the force and then walked towards the man.

"Hello Anakin," he said quietly.

"Hello," Anakin said, not turning around but looking out at the hundreds of speeders and aircraft that filled the Coruscant passageways. "Did you find who you were looking for?"

"No," Nicholas said.

"I am so worried, Nicholas. How is it that someone could completely disappear from us?" Anakin asked more to himself than to Nicholas.

"We will find the senator, Anakin."

Anakin turned to face Nicholas, his face revealing how weary he really was.

"I hope so. Did you have a good journey?"

"I suppose so," Nicholas said carefully. "Here, I brought this for you."

He took one of the purple and orange fruits out of his pocket and handed it to Anakin.

"What is this?" Anakin asked.

"Some type of Alderaan fruit," Nicholas said politely.

"Thank you, Nicholas."

"Anakin, we will find Senator Amidala," Nicholas said again, and Anakin studied his face carefully.

"You really believe that, don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then I'll try and believe it too. Good night Nicholas. Welcome back."

"Good night Anakin."

A knock on the door awoke Crystal the next morning, and she quickly got out of her bed and pulled her robe over her nightgown.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Obi Wan Kenobi, Tress. I am sorry to disturb you," Obi Wan said from the other side of the door.

Crystal quickly pulled on her servant dress and put the hood back over her head.

"Yes sir?" she asked, opening the door and keeping her head lowered.

"I thought you might like a list of Nicholas' schedule," Obi Wan said, handing her a paper.

"Thank you sir."

Crystal could feel that Obi Wan was looking at her carefully and was even going as far as using the force to try and learn more about her. She allowed her emotional barrier to go down just low enough so that he thought she was still tired and relaxed, leading him to believe that she had nothing to do with the Jedi.

"Nicholas is usually on time for everything, but I thought he might want to sleep in this morning, so I need him to know what time we are going to have our lesson."

"Thank you sir."

"You're welcome. Good day, Tress."

Crystal smiled to herself as she closed the door. Nicholas was right. Obi Wan was very fast, very fast indeed. He certainly wasn't buying the whole servant disguise, but he still wasn't sure what to make of Crystal.

Nicholas was on time in the gym that morning, and Obi Wan drilled him in many things. He was shocked to find that his pupil had grown immensely better at lightsaber work, as well as work with the force, and after an hour had passed, he held up his hands for Nicholas to stop moving things while standing on his hands.

"Nicholas," Obi Wan said, sitting down and looking up at him with concern. "What has happened to you? What have you been doing over the past month?"

"I have been continuing my studies, sir, as you had asked me to," Nicholas replied.

"You have gotten much better with everything," Obi Wan said, amazed.

"Thank you sir!"

"Nicholas, the Council will be very surprised as well."

"Perhaps the extra rest just strengthened me a bit, sir. Maybe I need a few days before you bring me before them," Nicholas suggested.

"They have been very busy lately, but I want to show them how much you've changed. I suppose we'll give you three more days, and if you have indeed grown stronger, than I will have to bring you before the Council."

"Yes sir."

Nicholas walked back to his room with Crystal later that afternoon and whispered worriedly to her.

"Obi Wan is going to bring me before the Council in a few days. Tomorrow he is going to have me duel against Anakin. What am I going to do?"

"What do you think you should do?" Crystal asked.

"I don't want to reveal you yet, because you aren't ready for me to, but I am going to be in big trouble, Crystal."

Crystal turned to face him, moving her hood back a bit before she spoke.

"I told you to trust me with this, Nicholas. I will not let you be cast out or hurt. When the time is right, I will show myself. The time is not right yet. I am still looking into some things."

"What were you doing all of this morning?" Nicholas asked.

"I was watching some people and studying some different rooms."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Nicholas sighed.

Crystal nodded.

"Yes. I found disturbing things, Nicholas, that will need to be taken care of shortly."

"Crystal, I don't want to be thrown out of the Order. I almost was once already."

"Yes, I know about that, but this time you won't be."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Now relax."

The next morning Nicholas stood calmly in the gym as Anakin approached him, his lightsaber glowing radiantly.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, master?" Anakin asked, looking at Nicholas worriedly.

"Yes. Just make sure you don't hit him with the blade, and you should be fine," Obi Wan nodded. "Nicholas, remember everything that I taught you."

"Yes sir," Nicholas gulped and caught sight of Crystal sitting quietly in the corner of the room.

She was supposedly reading, but he could see that her eyes were shining with the brightness of the lightsabers as she watched. Nicholas waited patiently for Anakin, his own blade glowing magnificently.

"Here he comes! Be ready Nicholas!" Obi Wan warned.

Anakin swung his lightsaber at Nicholas, and Nicholas caught it perfectly on his blade. Anakin pushed his lightsaber against Nicholas', making Nicholas back up. Unable to withstand the pressure for very long, Nicholas suddenly leaped backwards, flipping a short distance away from Anakin and then twirling his lightsaber professionally. He leaped out at Anakin, slamming his lightsaber against the more trained Jedi, and then quickly spun around Anakin and with a very gentle force push, caused Anakin to stumble, effectively stopping him from attacking. It took Anakin less than two seconds to regain his footing and leap after Nicholas again, and the two began racing back and forth across the gym, occasionally jumping atop different obstacles as they attacked each other. At one point, Nicholas completely leaped over Anakin, flipping, and then turning back around in mid flight to face Anakin again. He swung his lightsaber violently, and to Obi Wan's and Anakin's complete surprise, Anakin's lightsaber flew out of his hand and into the air, and before Anakin could get a force grip on it, another stronger, invisible hand reached out and grabbed the lightsaber, pulling it to Nicholas. Nicholas grabbed it in his one empty hand, and with perfect accuracy, he swung both lightsabers in his hands with precise timing and then closed them.

"That was amazing!" Anakin gasped, and he grabbed Nicholas' offered hand and was pulled to his feet.

"Nicholas, where did you learn that from?" Obi Wan asked, breathing heavily.

"I…I…practiced it," Nicholas stuttered, stepping away from Obi Wan.

"Take Anakin's lightsaber again, Nicholas," Obi Wan said, and Nicholas took it back.

Obi Wan took an extra lightsaber out of his belt and ignited it.

"Try and fight me with two lightsabers."

"Two lightsabers? But master…" Nicholas began, but a sudden, soft voice cut into his thoughts.

_Show him the truth, Nicholas. _

Nicholas nodded and then ignited the lightsabers.

"I am ready when you are, master," he said, igniting his lightsabers.

"Go!" Obi Wan called, and without any other warning, he flung himself at Nicholas.

Nicholas was tempted to act as though he had no clue how to use two lightsabers, but for the past month he had been trained equally in single lightsaber use and double, and it was almost second nature to him to use two lightsabers. He swung both blades effectively, encircling himself in light, and in less than five minutes, Obi Wan's lightsaber had been knocked out of his hands. Obi Wan closed his lightsaber after that and then returned it to his belt.

"Nicholas, you haven't been entirely truthful, have you?" he asked.

"I can't tell you," Nicholas stammered, his eyes searching Obi Wan's, trying to explain to him how important it was that his training remained a secret.

"I will have to bring this before the Council, you realize," Obi Wan said.

"I understand," Nicholas sighed, closing his lightsabers and bowing his head.

"You will have to tell them the truth."

"I know, master. But I won't be able to."

"Nicholas, why?"

"I just can't. I promised that I wouldn't."

Anakin and Obi Wan exchanged glances, and then Obi Wan sighed.

"That is the end of training for today. I can see that you are far more advanced in your training than I had trained you to be. You may return to your room if you wish, Nicholas. If not, you are still free to roam throughout the building. Don't go far, though. The Council will be expecting you soon enough."

"Yes sir."

"Well done," Crystal commented as she and Nicholas walked down the hall, Nicholas sweating heavily and his shirt drenched. He was trying to control his breathing, trying to remain calm. "You will be all right, Nicholas," Crystal said gently.

"I know," he replied quietly, and glanced into her eyes.

She looked away, and he suddenly realized that every time he looked at her eyes, she looked away.

"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?" Crystal asked as he opened his apartment door.

"Rest, I suppose, and prepare myself for the worst. How about you?"

"I will remain in my room as well. If you need me, Nicholas, just tell me," Crystal smiled. "You will be fine."

"I hope so, Crystal. I really hope so," Nicholas sighed and then went into his room.

Later in the afternoon, Nicholas was given the order to appear before the Jedi Council that evening. He spent the rest of the day trying to relax, but he found it difficult. He thought of how the Council viewed the Jades in general and knew that his time with the Jedi Order was at stake.

"At least it's been a good ride," he sighed to himself.

That evening, Nicholas was dressed in his best Jedi garments as he stepped out into the hall. Crystal was there, in a different outfit than her usual servant clothing. She was back in the blue dress that Nicholas had first seen her in, and she wore a hood over her head. "I thought that I should probably be dressed more properly when I am amongst the Jedi Council," she said, glancing up at his face quickly and then glancing away.

"Are you going to help me at all?" Nicholas asked as they began to walk.

"They remains to be determined," Crystal said, looking ahead.

"Crystal, I need your help. I need to keep my reputation strong for my family. My whole family name is resting on me," Nicholas pleaded.

"Just trust, Nicholas. Please, that is all I ask of you."

Nicholas bit his lip and nodded. "I will do my best."

Nicholas was led to the Jedi Council, right to the middle of the room where the Jedi masters sat surrounding him.

"We have heard that you have defeated both you master and Anakin in lightsaber duels," Mace Windu spoke solemnly.

"Yes I did sir."

"We watched the security films of your duels. Nicholas, the things you did were not event taught to us," Mace Windu said.

"No sir."

"Who taught you these things? We have known only the Sith lords to use two lightsabers so effectively."

Nicholas gulped and said respectfully, "My trainer was no Sith lord, sir."

"Who was this trainer you speak of?" Yoda asked, his ears twitching attentively.

"I have promised not to reveal this person, sir. I ask only that you trust me and believe that what I have done has been what is best for me. I have done nothing to harm you or anything against your orders."

"Why so secretive do you remain?" Yoda asked.

"Because some things are best kept untold," Nicholas said, standing tall.

"Nicholas, if you do not tell us where you learned these things, we will be forced to expel you from the order," Mace Windu said, and all of the Jedi shifted uncomfortably at the thought of losing yet another Jedi.

Nicholas took a deep breath and said solemnly, "I cannot tell you, sir. I believed that the Jedi valued honor and integrity. I made a promise not to reveal the source of my training. I would be breaking a promise if I told you. Is it not important that I keep my promises?"

"You are not supposed to hide anything from this council," Mace Windu frowned.

"I am sorry, sir. I did not realize that."

"Tell us who your trainer was now, Nicholas, or forever be expelled from our order."

Nicholas could feel his cheeks flushing as he gazed around at the Jedi masters, his eyes pleading.

"I beg you to believe me. I have done nothing wrong. Please do not hold me guilty of wrongdoing."

"Very well then. Nicholas Jade, I hereby expel you…"

"Wait!"

A sharp, powerful voice cut into Mace Windu's words. All eyes turned to see Crystal standing up, her hood falling back and her long hair, in a beautiful, intricate braid, falling over her shoulder.

"I am Nicholas' trainer," she said, and Nicholas was surprised by the hardness in her voice.

"You?" Obi Wan asked with a bit of surprise, and all the Jedi stared at her.

"Yes, me. When will you begin to believe your Padawan?" Crystal asked, shaking her head. "When the whole planet is about to be destroyed?"

"The things Nicholas tells us oftentimes does not make any sense. Who are you?" Mace Windu asked.

"It does not matter if something makes sense or not if it is the truth. As for who I am, I am Crystal. I have been training Nicholas for the past month on Alderaan."

"And where did you get permission to train our Padawan?" Mace Windu asked.

"From him. He is an adult; he can make his own decisions," Crystal said easily.

"We have never seen you before, Crystal. How did you become a Jedi?" Obi Wan asked, trying to be as pleasant as possible.

"I trained myself."

The Jedi began to whisper amongst themselves, all eyes on Crystal and many frowns on their faces.

"Why have you come here?" Mace Windu asked.

"To inform you of some disastrous news and to bring you to Senator Amidala," Crystal said, and immediately, the whispers stopped and she was being stared at again.

"You know where the senator is?" Yoda asked.

"Yes, I do."

"What else do you know?"

"Who Lord Sidious is."

Mace Windu grasped the arms of his chair and leaned forward.

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Who is it?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Crystal said. "The time is not right for me to tell you."

"You do know where the senator is?"

"Yes, I do. I would willingly bring some of your fellow Jedi with me to go rescue her, but I don't believe you would trust me to do that," Crystal said, glancing around the room.

"No, we don't trust you yet. However, if you will come with us, we can speak to the Supreme Chancellor about what to do. We only have so much liberty, you realize," Mace Windu said.

"Sadly, yes, I realize that. It seems that the Chancellor and his comrades have you wrapped around their fingers," Crystal nodded. "You may bring me to him."

"We will speak to him and will inform you tomorrow when to come with us to see him," Mace Windu said, standing up. "For now, you will remain in this building until further told what to do."

"One moment, Mace Windu," Crystal said, holding up one of her hands. "I don't take orders from others easily, especially people that I hardly know."

"I am one of the masters here. What I say is what is done," Mace Windu said with a meaningful frown.

"You are hardly one of the masters. Your master, without you knowing it, is Lord Sidious himself, and I refuse to be ruled by him," Crystal said, a determined expression on her face. "I will remain here until further notified, but I have complete liberty to leave if I wish. I will not be commanded by a group of confused Jedi."

Mace Windu opened his mouth to speak, but Yoda held up one of his hands.

"A point, perhaps, Miss Crystal has."

"Very well then. Good evening," Mace Windu said, and Nicholas and Crystal left the room.

"That was well done, Crystal," Nicholas commented as they walked down the hall.

"I do not like how your masters are behaving," Crystal frowned, her voice low.

"You said that they were ruled by Lord Sidious himself?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes, and they don't even realize it. That is why their vision has been clouded lately and they are unable to see things clearly," Crystal said.

"Who is Lord Sidious?"

"I wouldn't dare to tell you in the open like this," Crystal said.

"If I follow you into your living room, then will you tell me?"

Crystal studied his face carefully.

"Why do you wish to know? They will not let you do anything about it," she said.

"Because I will believe you, and maybe, somehow, I'll be able to help," Nicholas said.

"Very well then. Step inside for a moment," Crystal said.

Nicholas stepped into her living room, and she closed the door quickly behind her.

"Sit down, Nicholas."

Nicholas sat down on one of the room's large couches, gazing at the water fountain that flowed in front of it. Crystal sat across from him tiredly.

"Lord Sidious, Nicholas, is Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. It is he who captured Senator Amidala."

"Why did he capture her?" Nicholas asked, squinting at her curiously to study her face.

"Because," Crystal sighed, standing up and moving towards the large windows that overlooked Coruscant nightlife. "He might believe her to be pregnant. She isn't yet, but he might think she is."

"What? How? She isn't married!" Nicholas asked, standing up and moving towards her.

"Yes, she is. She is married to…" Crystal stopped and Nicholas shook his head with unbelief.

"Anakin? She is married to Anakin?"

Crystal nodded. "You knew it, didn't you?"

"Somehow, yes, I already knew," Nicholas nodded incredulously. "But the Supreme Chancellor being Lord Sidious is harder to believe."

"How is it that so many Jedi are always being destroyed, Nicholas, and the dark side continues to win our battles?" Crystal asked.

"We must tell Mace Windu! We have to warn everyone!" Nicholas declared, turning violently.

Crystal put her hand on his arm. "No, Nicholas. They won't believe. He has clouded their thinking too much for them to believe that."

"What are we going to do?"

"_We_ aren't going to do anything. I will have to think of something to do."

"But why you?" Nicholas asked, gazing at her carefully.

"I am the only one in this building, other than you, who can still think clearly. I am also the only one who knows where Senator Amidala is."

"Well, perhaps the Supreme Chancellor will let you take a group and save her," Nicholas said.

"Nicholas, if the Supreme Chancellor allows me to do that, he will have me killed on the journey to her, as well as whoever else is with me. It will not be that easy," Crystal said. "Tomorrow, I will go before him with Mace Windu, and we will see what happens then."

"Will I be permitted to come with you?"

"Probably. You will have to explain who I am to the Chancellor. Just be careful what you say, Nicholas. The less Palpatine knows about me, the better," Crystal warned.

Nicholas immediately felt uncomfortable when he stepped into the Supreme Chancellor's office the following morning. The Chancellor's walls were deep red, as was all of his furniture. The Supreme Chancellor was sitting behind his desk when Mace Windu, Yoda, Crystal, Nicholas, and two other Jedi knights arrived.

"Hello Master Windu. Have you heard any more news about the senator?" Chancellor Palpatine asked.

"I have not, but apparently this young woman has," Mace Windu said, gesturing to Crystal. Palpatine studied Crystal's face carefully, looking into her eyes, evaluating what type of woman she was.

"What have you heard?"

"I know where she is," Crystal said.

"Do you? Young Jedi, we have had people from every system searching for the senator."

"Indeed you have, but I have found her."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Crystal. I trained Nicholas for a short while. That is all you need to know," Crystal said bluntly.

"Where is the senator?"

"I am unwilling to tell you."

"Crystal," Mace Windu spoke, but she held up her hand.

"I want to choose a team to go with me to save her."

"Why will you not tell me where she is? I want to help her. I feel personally responsible for her safety," Chancellor Palpatine said.

"I think you know why," Crystal answered, her eyes boring into Palpatine's.

"I cannot trust just anyone to take a group and save the senator. You will have to prove yourself first," Palpatine said.

"Very well then. What do I need to do?"

"There have been rumors of the senator being held captive on the ice planet Hoth. You may take some of Coruscant's men, and possibly Naboo's, and go search for her there. It may be dangerous, but if you can succeed in this mission, you may take a team of your choosing and find the senator."

"No," Crystal said, shaking her head. "Senator Amidala is not on Hoth."

"My sources tell me that she is. If you can go to Hoth and bring back proof that she is not there, then you may choose a team to go with you to rescue her," Palpatine said.

"It is a reasonable request. This could also gain you more trust with the Jedi Council," Mace Windu mused.

"Not if I'm dead," Crystal whispered menacingly. "This is a trap. What Jedi would be going with me?"

"Master Obi Wan and his Padawan, I suppose. Young Skywalker could go as well. It would be a good training exercise," Palpatine said easily.

"You condemn us to death," Crystal growled.

"How so? This is a mission to find the senator," Mace Windu spoke.

Crystal took a deep breath and then spoke, her voice cold.

"That," she said, pointing to Palpatine, "is Lord Sidious."

"Outrageous!" Mace Windu declared, and Nicholas and Crystal both felt a wave of shock flow from the master. "The Supreme Chancellor has backed us in every assault and is a great ally to the Jedi."

"Why is it then that in every recent battle we have entered, hundreds of innocent people and Jedi have died, especially in the last rescue of Senator Amidala involving Count Dooku on Geonosis?" Crystal shouted.

"Enough! You will take a crew to Hoth or you will be banished from Coruscant!" Mace Windu said and then almost took a step back as Crystal's eyes seared into his.

"You cannot banish me, Master Windu, for I will always return. You are evidently too blind to see the truth, and now, too many will suffer for it," Crystal said quietly and then left the room, all three men staring after her as she left.

"Crystal, wait!"

Crystal did not turn to face Nicholas as she stormed to her room.

"I have a suggestion!" he gasped, running in front of her.

"And what would that be?" Crystal sighed as she stopped.

"I know some pilots who would be willing to assist you in the Hoth mission. Captain Blake Antilles is an excellent pilot, and I know that he would be eager to assist if the officials of Naboo would let him. He also has pilots that could help."

"Very well then. I suppose I will send a message to Naboo through the Jedi Council. I will need all of the help that I can get," Crystal said.

"Crystal, I will be permitted to go, won't I?"

"Nicholas, I cannot put you in such danger," Crystal answered, stepping past him and beginning to walk again.

"I could stay with the other pilots," Nicholas replied. "I need experience to grow."

"You may go then. I am putting you in charge of the pilots since you definitely know more about fighters and flying than I do," Crystal said, opening her apartment door.

"Thank you, Crystal. You won't regret it," Nicholas said with a bow.

"I hope not," Crystal smiled sadly.


	6. Fatal Discovery

**The first battle of Hoth begins, and some valuable information is discovered!**

**Chapter Six**

Winds of over 100 miles per hour blew across the snow-covered wastes of Hoth, howling mournfully as they passed through caverns and ice mountains.

"And I thought Tatooine was barren," Nicholas sighed as he stepped into the makeshift command center.

He caught sight of Crystal sitting in between two technicians who were gazing intently at a computer console. Eight red lights could be seen on the screen, rapidly approaching the command center.

"Yes, Captain Antilles. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has ordered that all assault aircraft turn their engines off after landing to preserve energy. You and your men may land when ready," Crystal spoke into her headset and then took it off. Ice crystals glistened in her hair as she turned her seat and then stood up. "Good evening, Captain Nicholas. Captain Antilles and his crew are almost ready to land."

"We have been ordered to turn off the engines?" Nicholas asked, staring at the consoles.

"Yes, and all other power."

"If we do that, the engines will freeze. We will not be able to fight for at least ten minutes if we are needed."

"Those were the Chancellor's orders," Crystal sighed.

"I see you are as uncomfortable about this situation as I am. Something is about to happen," Nicholas said, turning his head to gaze at Crystal.

"Orders are orders," she replied.

"You were the one ordered, not I. Also, the Chancellor knows nothing about combat procedures and I am in charge of the aircraft. Therefore, the engines will be kept running. Something is wrong, and we need to be ready."

Nicholas left the room, and Crystal suddenly aroused herself and called out to him.

"Nicholas!"

Nicholas stuck his head back into the room. "Yes?"

"Thank you for helping me."

Nicholas smiled at her and said easily, "You're welcome, Crystal. I believe in you."

Crystal nodded and then watched as Nicholas turned and disappeared through the doorway.

"I don't get this. Why are we supposed to turn off all power? It must be fifty below out there," Blake Antilles said as he opened the hull to his snow fighter and took his helmet off.

"Hello Blake!" Nicholas called from below the aircraft, and Blake waved.

"Hello Captain Nicholas. I'll be out in a minute. Let me just get my gloves off."

"Don't do that yet. You need to get your aircraft started again. Just keep the engine running, and you can come out," Nicholas shouted to him.

"I thought we were ordered to turn everything off?" Blake asked with a frown.

"We were, but as a matter of safety, I have decided that we put those orders aside. The one who issued them may possibly be an enemy," Nicholas replied.

"Alright, Captain. My men and I will come down in just a minute," Blake said, sitting back down in his cockpit and revving up the engines while ordering his men to do the same.

Nicholas waited until Blake and his men were out of their aircraft and on the ground before he began to discuss their duties with them.

"If we are attacked, all of the pilots will be the first line of defense we will use," Nicholas explained as they walked down an icy corridor.

"Do you really believe we will be attacked?" One of Blake's men asked.

"Yes. I have a very disturbing feeling, and I think we will be attacked sometime in the next hour. Having said that, make sure that you stay extremely alert and prepared. We will need to move quickly if we are threatened," Nicholas warned.

"Of course sir."

After the pilots were brought into a well-heated room, Nicholas returned to the command room where Crystal once again sat at the consoles.

"You are going to tire yourself out if you continue to sit there day and night," Nicholas said, sitting down next to her.

"They are out there, Nicholas," Crystal said quietly, her eyes never leaving the consoles.

"Who?"

"Palpatine's men. They are preparing to strike. I can feel it."

As if on cue, some red lights suddenly appeared on one of the consoles.

"That's them," Crystal gasped, leaning forward. One at a time, lights began to appear on the screen.

"Fifteen of them, whatever they are. What do they look like?" Nicholas asked, watching the screen.

"Some type of ground weapons. They are moving quickly. Signal the alarm, Nicholas," Crystal ordered, leaping out of her seat and moving towards a microphone of sorts that was connected to the wall.

Nicholas went to a lever in the wall and pulled it. Instantly, alarms began to scream throughout the building and the pilots ran into the command room.

"What are we to do?" They asked, stopping in front of Crystal.

"Get into your planes!" Crystal ordered and then turned to speak with several soldiers that were beginning to swarm around her.

"Get into your ships and into the air! We haven't much time!" Nicholas said, and the pilots immediately ran to their transportation vessels.

The sound of roaring engines blocked out all other noise in the command room for several moments, and then, suddenly, they stopped.

"They are off!" Nicholas said, racing towards a pair of headsets and putting one of them on. He moved towards the consoles and then began to watch as the planes approached the enemy transports.

"Captain Nicholas, we are approaching the enemy," Blake's voice came over the headset.

"What are they?" Nicholas asked.

"Some six-legged automobiles. Each leg seems to have a large gun of sorts attached to it."

"Are they manned by humans or droids?"

"They look like people in black armor. What should we do?"

Nicholas frowned and took his headset off.

"Crystal, we are out manned and outgunned. What should we do?"

"Evacuate the command center and attack. I told you this was a trap," Crystal sighed. "Where are Master Obi Wan and Anakin?" she asked.

"I think they are on their way," Nicholas answered.

"I will contact them and tell them to prepare for passengers. You and I will have to leave after the battle."

Nicholas nodded and then put his headset back on.

"Blake, you and your pilots will attack while we get everything out of the command center. You won't have ground support. Never mind that. I have an idea. I'll be out to help you in a minute."

"Nicholas, what are you doing?" Crystal gasped as Nicholas opened the door leading to the outside.

"I am going to distract our enemies and get proof that Senator Amidala isn't here. The enemies are getting too close. They are almost in firing range of the command center."

Crystal was unwilling to let him go, but she shook her head and said quietly, "May the force be with you."

"The same to you. I'll be all right."

Red lasers were ricocheting off the snow when Nicholas stepped outside. One of the snow planes sped past him wildly.

"Blake, what's up?" Nicholas shouted into his headset.

"They have too much power and too great a shield. We can't get through it!"

"Cover me, Blake."

"What are you doing?"

"I may be able to get through the shield."

Blake sighed as Nicholas raced across the snow, running for the automobile closest to him. The men working the great machine immediately caught sight of him and opened fire. Nicholas used his lightsaber and the snow to shield himself. He swung the glowing green blade about as he ran, snow encircling him and almost completely hiding him from view. As he neared the bottom of the vehicle, he held up one hand, causing one of the great guns to twist violently, completely turning away from him. Once he was out of firing range, Nicholas crouched down and then sprang straight up. He caught hold of some of the wires on the underbelly of the insect-like vehicle and then began to crawl towards a hatchway a few yards away.

As soon as Nicholas reached the hatchway, he pulled out his lightsaber and quickly cut a hole large enough for him to crawl into. His arms were trembling fiercely as he put his hands in the opening and proceeded to pull himself into it. When he got inside, he immediately stood up and surveyed his surroundings. He was in an open walkway of some sorts, and he could hear voices coming from the front of the vehicle. He kept his lightsaber in hand as he walked carefully through the walkway, stopping only when he came to an opening that led into the cockpit. The first thing he saw in the room was a hologram of what appeared to be an old man in a black robe, his face covered. The voice that was transmitted from the hologram was very familiar, however, and Nicholas quietly pulled out a recording device from his belt and aimed it at the hologram. Several men in black armor were standing about the hologram, listening intently.

"You may destroy the entire control center and space craft. I want you to set your aim on the command center part of the building. In there is a woman who must be destroyed. She is a great threat to us," the hologram was speaking, his voice old and wilted.

"What if she isn't in there?" the commander of the vehicle asked.

"Then you must send in ground troops to destroy her. The woman's name is Crystal. She must be destroyed. If you and your men fail, Commander, you will have me to answer to," the hologram threatened, and all of the men took a healthy step away from it.

"We will open fire on the command center in a matter of seconds. First we need to get past these planes," the commander said, and the robed hologram nodded.

"Very good. Now then…what was that back there?" The hologram suddenly snapped, and all heads turned to face Nicholas.

"Hello!" Nicholas waved, and as he did so, his lightsaber ignited and he spun it professionally, protecting himself from the lasers that were suddenly being fired at him.

The hologram disappeared, and Nicholas thrust the recording device into his pocket and leaped up onto the ceiling of the vehicle where several loose wires were hanging. Before the soldiers had another chance to fire at him, he had cut a whole in the roof and was climbing onto the top of the automobile.

One of the snow planes suddenly flew past, crashing into the snow in front of one the enemy transport.

"Nicholas! Help! I can't get out of my plane!" Blake panicked over the headset.

"I'm on it, Nicholas! Keep doing what you need to do!" Crystal called right after Blake.

"Crystal, get out of the command center now! They are trying to kill you!" Nicholas shouted, dodging as a bolt from one of the automobiles flew past him.

Crystal didn't answer, but Nicholas saw her running out of the command center towards Blake's fallen plane. As soon as she got out of the building, it exploded, debris flying in all directions.

While Crystal struggled to get Blake out of his plane, Nicholas was kept busy deflecting all of the lasers that suddenly began to fly his way. The automobiles were aiming at him, and he realized that he could use their lasers to help himself. He tilted his lightsaber in a certain direction, and then one of the lasers hit it, ricocheting off the blade and disappearing into a shaft in the automobile.

"I think I should be getting off now!" Nicholas gasped and then ran to the edge of the vehicle.

He attached a thin rope to it, and then slid down, landing safely in the snow.

As Nicholas ran, Blake and Crystal also struggled to get away from the automobile. Blake looked over his shoulder to suddenly see the whole top of the vehicle explode, and he shouted to Crystal.

"Get away as fast as you can! The whole thing is going to explode in a matter of seconds!"

Crystal nodded and struggled to keep up, snow having filled her boots while she was helping Blake. The automobile suddenly exploded, and Crystal, not being fast enough, looked up to see the whole frame of the automobile beginning to fall towards her. She ignited her lightsaber and within seconds, the snow beneath her feet had melted, and she was in a small trench. The trench did not do much to help her. The automobile suddenly crashed over her, burying her in the snow and knocking her unconscious.

The last of the snow planes lifted into space, and Nicholas walked clumsily towards where the command center had been. Several of the survivors from the attack remained hidden beneath pieces of metal, but as soon as Nicholas neared them, Blake ran out.

"Nicholas, have you seen Crystal?"

"No. I thought she was with you," Nicholas said, his eyebrows furrowed.

"She was, but then the machine exploded, and I haven't seen her since! I am afraid she was buried," Blake said, and then he and Nicholas glanced up to see a large spacecraft hovering over them.

"Nicholas! There you are! Everyone get inside where it's warm before more recruits come!" Anakin shouted from the hatchway.

"Crystal is missing, Anakin!" Nicholas shouted as people began to run up the entrance and climbed into the plane.

"Missing?"

"She disappeared when one of the vehicles exploded. I'm afraid that she might be trapped underneath something," Nicholas said.

"Wait there, Nicholas. I will see what Master Obi Wan wants you to do," Anakin ordered, and Nicholas could see the complete concern on Anakin's face as he walked back into the ship. If Crystal had been killed, then they might never find Padme.

"Master Obi Wan wants you to come into the plane and then he and I will search for Crystal. You need to get warmed up, Nicholas, and you look completely exhausted," Anakin called out a few seconds later.

Nicholas nodded and walked into the ship, the warmth nearly stunning him. He walked into the cockpit where Obi Wan sat maneuvering the aircraft.

"Switch places with me, Nicholas. Where was Crystal last seen?" he asked worriedly.

"She was near that vehicle over there," Nicholas pointed, and then shook his head as a whole row of fallen vehicles came into view. "I think she was over there. She was pretty close to the front of one of those. Blake might know where she was."

Obi Wan nodded and then left the cockpit, Nicholas sliding into his seat as soon as he got up.

"Did Blake know where Crystal is?" Anakin asked as he and Obi Wan trudged through the snow.

"He believes it was one of these vehicles that she was under. He thinks she was buried beneath one of them," Obi Wan said, pointing to two of the vehicles.

Anakin frowned and then began to feel with the force, trying to find any life forms underneath the snow.

Both Obi Wan and Anakin began to panic as the minutes passed and they could not find Crystal. Every minute under that snow was more dangerous than the previous. Twenty minutes passed before Anakin suddenly stopped walking and concentrated.

"I found her!" he suddenly shouted, and Obi Wan raced over to him.

"Where?"

"Right under that one," Anakin pointed. "I can feel her, master. She is still alive."

"Barely, I am sure," Obi Wan said, igniting his lightsaber and walking over to the vehicle. "Start slashing, Anakin, and be careful."

Anakin nodded and then both of the Jedi began to cut away the pieces of metal that were covering the snow. It took them ten minutes, and as soon as the metal was out of the way, they both began to dig into the snow, Crystal's presence extremely close.

"She's right here," Anakin said, finally finding one of Crystal's fingers.

"She certainly was buried deeply. Anakin, hold your lightsaber over the area, and I will keep digging. It will melt the snow," Obi Wan ordered, and Anakin immediately obeyed.

After only a few minutes, Anakin reached into the hole and pulled Crystal out. She was unconscious and her breathing was nearly smothered by the snow and ice on her nose and mouth. Anakin used the force to lift her into his arms, and then he put his gloved hand over her nose and mouth.

"The ice is melting," he said as he and Obi Wan stepped away from the remains of the vehicle.

"Good. Nicholas, come and get us," Obi Wan called into his headset.

"You found her?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes, we found her, and she needs immediate help. Get here quickly."

"Yes sir."

Within five minutes, Anakin was carrying Crystal up the ramp and into the spacecraft, Obi Wan closing the ramp behind him. Crystal was placed on a bed where a medic immediately began to see to her, cleaning her cuts and putting an oxygen mask on her.

"Will she be all right?" Nicholas asked Anakin as he stepped into the cockpit.

"Yes, she will be. Master Obi Wan is staying with her until she wakes up. The medic says she will be awake in a matter of minutes. You may fly us out of Hoth now," Anakin said, strapping himself into one of the seats.

"That was too close," Nicholas said, sweat from the heat of the cockpit rolling down his forehead.

"I agree. We need her," Anakin nodded.

Nicholas sat quietly, thinking as the spacecraft moved quickly out of Hoth's system and into outer space. He now had real proof who Lord Sidious was. The hologram's voice was unmistakable. He only hoped he would live long enough to show that proof to the Jedi Council.

"Hello Nicholas."

Nicholas opened his eyes slowly. He had put the plane on self-pilot mode after setting the coordinates for Coruscant and had then fallen asleep.

"Hello Crystal. It's good to know that you are awake."

He stretched his arms and then put his chair back in its upright position. He looked at Crystal and then whistled.

"I know. They certainly beat me up," Crystal sighed. Her face was terribly scratched and her magnificent eyes were bloodshot. "They were targeting me, you said?" she asked, pulling her blanket more tightly around her.

"Yes, they were."

"How do you know?"

"Because they were commanded to. I got this," Nicholas said, puling a marble-sized article out of his pocket.

"What is that?" Crystal asked, leaning forward.

"A copy I took of a hologram. Watch."

Nicholas put the article on a small device and instantly the hologram appeared above the ship's control throttles.

Crystal watched the hologram and then sat back when it vanished.

"You warned them," Nicholas said for her.

"There is more to be concerned about than that," Crystal said quietly, a far away look in her eyes.

"What is it? Tell me," Nicholas said, and she looked at him carefully.

"Why should I?"

"Because I want to help. I have remained faithful to the things you have asked me to remain silent about. Be sure, I will keep this silent as well, if you wish."

"Very well. Senator Amidala is in a place much more dangerous than anyone realizes. Lord Sidious has begun building a space station of sorts that will supposedly be able to destroy whole planets when it is completed. That's where she is."

"How do you know so much?" Nicholas asked incredulously.

"I can sense things, and then I go learn about them. I've been to the space station as a guard before. No one ever knew I was there."

"I can't sense those things," Nicholas frowned.

"It's a matter of training. There is Coruscant," Crystal said, pointing to the planet ahead.

Nicholas immediately began to work the controls, speaking over the intercom as he did so.

"Prepare for entrance to Coruscant."

He then spoke to Crystal, his eyes always on Coruscant.

"I will need your help when I produce the evidence to the Council."

"How?"

"Bring a lightsaber and be prepared to use it, please."

"I will do that. Here comes Master Obi Wan and Anakin. Did the pilots all make it back to Coruscant?" Crystal asked.

"They should have," Nicholas answered as the door slid open and Obi Wan and Anakin stepped inside.

Upon landing the ship, the passengers went into the senate building where they each went their separate ways. Blake returned to his pilots, Obi Wan went immediately to the Jedi Council, and Nicholas, Anakin, and Crystal returned slowly to their apartments, one man on each of Crystal's sides to help her if she began to stumble. She was very weak, and as soon as she entered her room, she collapsed on her bed and fell asleep.

Night came, and Obi Wan entered Nicholas' apartment to see the young man standing on his balcony, gazing out at the night traffic and lights that illuminated Coruscant's buildings and vehicles.

"You are concerned, Nicholas. Ever since Anakin and I brought you onto the ship, you have been a bit withdrawn. What is the matter?" Obi Wan asked, stepping behind Nicholas.

"I have something urgent to share with the Council at the meeting this evening," Nicholas said, turning to face Obi Wan.

The Jedi master was surprised to see such a serious, lifeless look on Nicholas' face.

"Nicholas, whatever is the matter?" he asked, putting a hand on Nicholas' shoulder.

"I may be killed because of what I have to show."

"Surely it cannot be that bad," Obi Wan said soothingly, but Nicholas shook his head.

"If Supreme Chancellor Palpatine is going to be at the meeting, then it will be very bad. I have asked Crystal to bring her lightsaber with her, and I intend to bring mine."

"Weapons are not permitted in our meetings, Nicholas. You know that," Obi Wan frowned.

"Master, this is urgent. The information I have could possibly lead to my death, as well as to the deaths of whoever sees what I have to show. I would ask you to bring your weapons as well, but I know you will not go against the Order."

"If it is that dangerous, then I will," Obi Wan said, giving Nicholas' shoulder a pat before he turned away and began to leave the room. "I will see you in ten minutes. I still have to wake Crystal up. The Council would like her to be there," he said.

Nicholas nodded, his thoughts too far away for him to hear his apartment door closing.

The meeting room was full when Nicholas entered it a few minutes later. He avoided looking into all the eyes that were staring at him and quietly sat down next to Crystal, who still had a layer or two of blankets wrapped over her clothing. He could sense that she was armed with more than one lightsaber, and he tried to comfort himself with the thought of her protection.

"I am not certain that we can say that mission was a success," Mace Windu began, looking carefully at Crystal. "You did not find the senator, and several fighter planes from Naboo and Coruscant were destroyed."

"Never mind that I was almost killed in the mission that I entered only to try and please you," Crystal said, her face very pale.

"Nevertheless, you did not gain our trust."

"No one can gain it. You expect too much," Crystal said quietly, and Nicholas slowly raised his hand.

"Yes Nicholas?"

"I have some evidence that will prove that Crystal's mission was not in vain," he said, standing up slowly.

"Obi Wan did say that you have something important to show us. What is it?"

"I have here a hologram of Lord Sidious," Nicholas said, moving towards a dish-shaped object on top of a pole at the side of the room. "If I have your permission to show it, you will see that Crystal's accusations against Supreme Chancellor Palpatine were true. He is Lord Sidious," Nicholas said with all the boldness he could muster.

He could see the chancellor out of the corner of his eye. The old man was sitting quietly in his section of the room, completely at peace. Or so it seemed.

As the hologram began to play, Nicholas returned to his seat next to Crystal and whispered nervously, "I hope they will believe this."

She didn't answer him, and he looked at her to see that she was struggling to breath.

"Crystal?" he asked worriedly, and she turned her head to look at him, her eyes a bit glassy.

He could see that she was fighting an invisible hand that was on her throat with the force, but she was too weak to fight hard enough. Nicholas glanced across the room to see Chancellor Palpatine gazing steadily at Crystal, not saying a word or making a single motion. Nicholas could feel, however, that dark strength was pulsing through the chancellor, and without another word, Nicholas drew his lightsaber and ignited the blade.

Gasps of surprise were emitted throughout the room as all heads turned to see Nicholas flipping out of his chair and running with full speed towards the chancellor. He neared the man and raised his lightsaber to strike, but before he could, a blue blade stopped the weapon from falling on its intended target.

"Anakin, move your lightsaber!" Nicholas ordered, turning his head to see Crystal suddenly falling out of her chair, gasping as though she had been drowning and was finally out of the water.

"No! This must be dealt with in a just manner," Anakin said, his dark eyes locking onto Nicholas'.

"He was trying to strangle her!" Nicholas shouted, and Mace Windu walked over to him.

"The hologram was faulty, Nicholas. We could see no face. We could only hear a voice."

"Then how did the hologram know about Crystal, and how is it that she just nearly died?" Nicholas shouted as Obi Wan crouched next to Crystal and helped her get back to her feet.

"Be cautious of your temper, Nicholas," Mace Windu said, sitting back in his chair.

Obi Wan finished helping Crystal get back into her seat and then stood up, a very serious expression on his face.

"I believe that Crystal can be trusted. All of the men arrived back safely, and it was more than obvious that Senator Amidala was not on Hoth, otherwise Anakin, Nicholas, Crystal or myself would have felt her presence. I believe that Crystal can bring us to the where the senator is held captive and back quite safely."

"Yes," the chancellor nodded thoughtfully. "It would be a wise decision to permit Crystal to bring a team to where the senator is. If she fails in her responsibilities as leader, then one of her comrades can take command."

"One way or another, find the senator, we must," Yoda said, and Mace Windu nodded. "You will go to the senator then, Crystal, and you may choose your comrades. Choose carefully," Yoda instructed.

"I already know who to bring. I would like to take Master Kenobi, Anakin, Nicholas, and Senator Amidala's R2 unit with me. It will only take us a short while to prepare," Crystal said wearily.

"You must regain your strength before you leave," Mace Windu noted.

"As I recover, preparations for departure must be made. I will tell Master Kenobi what we need, and then we will begin to prepare," Crystal answered and then stood up. "Now, if you will please excuse me, I shall retire for the evening."

"They didn't believe me!" Nicholas gasped from Crystal's side as they walked back to their apartments. "I even had a hologram, and they still wouldn't listen!"

"Never mind that now. We must move on with preparations for our journey," Crystal said.

"But he tried to kill you! He will still try to kill you, to kill all of us!" Nicholas said as Crystal opened her apartment door.

"The five of us will be working as a team, Nicholas, and with four Jedi together, it will be hard for him to destroy us. Not only that, but you can always escape if you need to."

"What do you mean?" Nicholas asked, stepping in front of her suddenly.

"I have my suspicions about you, Nicholas, and if you are who I think you are, escape is never difficult for you," Crystal answered, an eyebrow raised.

"What are your suspicions?"

Crystal smiled a bit and shook her head.

"Nothing you need worry about, Nicholas. Good night."

Nicholas watched Crystal's door as she closed it, panic running through his mind. What suspicions did she have? Had she somehow found something in his background that none of the other Jedi had seen? Nicholas shivered as he opened his apartment door and then stepped inside, locking it behind him. If the other Jedi ever discovered his past occupation, he would be cast away forever, another Jade to be banished from the Order.


	7. It's a Space Station

**Here ye be! Chapter Seven is up!! So far we've got one review on this story. Hmm… I'm not sure exactly how many of you all are reading this, but I'll keep putting up new chapters anyway! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Seven: It's a Space Station**

Within three days, all preparations for the rescue mission had been made. A ship was provided for the four Jedi and the droid, and on the afternoon of the fourth day, Yoda and Mace Windu stood at the landing platform above the senatorial building, watching as Nicholas and Anakin finished putting the last supplies in the spacecraft.

"Keep your minds open to everything around you," Mace Windu instructed as Obi Wan approached him from the back.

"Is everything loaded?" Obi Wan asked.

"Yes sir. Everything except Crystal and R2-D2," Nicholas nodded.

A few moments later, Crystal stepped out of the building dressed in a black jumpsuit, her long hair in a beautiful braid thrown over her shoulder. The sight of her walking alongside the droid caused Anakin's thoughts to return to Padme, and he watched quietly as the woman and droid entered the ship.

"Do you have any specific instructions for us?" Obi Wan asked as Anakin and Nicholas entered the ship.

"Take care of yourselves and of those with you, Obi Wan. Perhaps attempts are being made on Crystal's life. You must heed any warnings that approach you," Mace Windu instructed.

"Yes sir."

"May the force be with you, Obi Wan," Yoda called as Obi Wan stepped onto the ship's ramp.

"The same to you, master."

"So where exactly are we going?" Obi Wan asked two hours later from his seat next to Crystal.

"Right there," Crystal said, pointing to a screen and a bright array of stars that shone from it.

"But there isn't anything there," Obi Wan frowned.

"Not that you can see. There is actually a premature battle station hidden in the midst of those stars. We should be there in another hour or so," Crystal said, sitting back a bit and closing her eyes.

"Senator Amidala is there?" Anakin asked from behind her.

"Yes. Is the droid all right in the back?"

"He is doing quite nicely back there. Too bad we couldn't bring C-3PO along," Anakin chuckled.

"The last thing we need is for a talkative droid to sneak around with us in enemy territory," Crystal said.

"He can't help it. That's how I programmed him to be," Anakin grinned.

"So you did, Anakin. I am going to see how Nicholas is faring. I will be back shortly," Obi Wan said, getting up from his chair and leaving the cockpit.

Nicholas was sitting on a chair close to R2D2, studying a mechanical data pad of sorts. "Hello Master Obi Wan," he said as Obi Wan approached him.

"Hello Nicholas. What are you doing?"

"Trying to find information on Crystal. I don't know very much about her."

"You spent a whole month with her, though," Obi Wan frowned.

"Yes, but I still don't know much about her. How is it really that she knows everything? She already told me how she knows about the battle station, but how did she get information about it the first time? How does she know that the Jedi Order is greatly disturbed right now? How does she know things that no one else knows?"

"It seems that you have the same questions I do," Obi Wan sighed. "I wonder why she is being trusted to care for us? She's so young. A woman of her age should be enjoying her time with suitors, not worrying about the conduct of the galaxy. Have you found anything about her yet?"

"No. I can't seem to find her in any of the archives or channels. I've even searched some of the smuggling channels, and I still can't learn about her."

"You trust her though?"

Nicholas looked up at Obi Wan to see a serious expression on his master's face.

"Yes sir, I do. Everything she has said before has been true, and I know that what we are doing now will bring us to Senator Amidala."

"If you trust her, Nicholas, then I don't see why I shouldn't," Obi Wan smiled, putting a hand on Nicholas' shoulder. "We should be to the space station in an hour or so."

"Good."

Nicholas was startled awake when a droning sound filled the ship's hold a little over an hour later.

"What is happening?" he asked as he made his way blindly towards the doorway of the room.

A light suddenly turned on, guiding his path, and Nicholas turned to face the droid who was steadfastly moving along behind him.

"Thanks R2."

With R2's help, Nicholas made it safely to the cockpit where he found Anakin, Obi Wan and Crystal all sitting calmly in their seats.

"What happened?" Nicholas asked, sitting down in the dark cockpit.

"We are in a lock down of some sort," Obi Wan said. "The battle station caught us."

Nicholas looked out the window to see a great structure in the shape of a half diamond floating independently before their ship.

"The tracker beam should bring us right into the hangar of the station," Crystal said, unstrapping herself and standing up. "Prepare to get off."

Everyone checked their weapons as their ship drew ever closer to the station. A few short moments passed before all in the ship could hear a grating sound and then the ship was lowered by an invisible force and landed safely on the floor of the hangar.

"We will have to get out of the ship quickly. We will open one of the hatchways that are beneath the ship and will then proceed to get to safety. There will be guards any minute now, and we must be gone before they get here," Crystal said, walking quickly towards the center of the ship.

"Wait a moment, Crystal!" Nicholas called, jogging after her with the others.

"Yes?" She asked, turning around once she had arrived at the hatchway.

"It would be safer to go up. If we go under the plane, we could possibly be surrounded and then captured. If we go up, our enemies probably won't even have a chance to see us. They will be too busy searching the grounds and plane."

"Brilliant, Nicholas, but we don't have the resources to get up," Obi Wan said, somewhat surprised by Nicholas' quick thinking.

"With these. I brought some grappling cables," Nicholas said, pulling two rod-shaped objects out of his belt. "It's amazing what you can store in Tatooine garb," he grinned as he stepped in front of Crystal. "There should be a top hatchway right about here. Ah ha! Here it is!"

Before anyone had a chance to say anything, Nicholas had climbed onto the ceiling of the ship and had opened the top hatch.

"You seem to make it a point of knowing your escape routes before you go anywhere," Anakin commented as Nicholas climbed onto the roof.

"Come! We haven't much time!" Nicholas replied, sirens blaring throughout the hangar.

Crystal climbed up next, followed by Anakin and then Obi Wan. Together, they lifted R2-D2 out of the ship and onto the roof.

"Now what?" Obi Wan asked.

"Here, Crystal. You take one of these and I'll take the other. See those pipes up there? They are strong enough to hold us. Aim for them. The cable should fly over them and then wrap back around. The hook will catch onto the cable, and then we can climb up," Nicholas said, handing one of the grappling cables to Crystal.

One of her eyebrows was raised as she took it from him.

"Show me how to do it," she said quietly, and Nicholas felt his neck twitch as he turned and then glanced up at the pipes.

He held the grappling device in front of him and then pushed a button. The grappling hook jumped straight into the air, catching hold of the pipes and then wrapping around them. It locked into place, and Nicholas looked at Crystal.

"There. Your turn."

"That was very artfully done, Nicholas. I think you should do mine as well. We don't have time for me to miss," Crystal said, and Nicholas took the device from her.

"The hatch has been closed, right?" he asked as he aimed and then fired, once again succeeding in preparing the cable.

"Yes. Who should go first?" Anakin asked.

"You and Master Obi Wan. You have had more training than I have had," Nicholas said.

Obi Wan shook his head and looked at Crystal.

"Crystal and I will go up first. You two will follow, and then we will bring R2-D2."

Crystal nodded and then pulled on some gloves. She caught hold of one of the cables and then began slowly and painfully to climb up. She looked back down as she climbed, noticing that soldiers were already surrounding the ship and were going inside.

As soon as Obi Wan and Crystal reached the ceiling of the hangar, they cut a hole in the ceiling and then climbed through. When they knew that there were no enemies in the corridor that they had entered, they looked back down and signaled to Nicholas and Anakin. Nicholas was extremely fast, climbing the cord as though he had done it a thousand times. Anakin took longer, having to work his arm muscles more than he had done in awhile. R2 was lifted up once the men were in the corridor, and then Crystal sealed off the hole that had been made.

"Now what do we do?" Anakin asked as they began to walk down the corridor.

"I will take R2 and get Senator Amidala. The rest of you will serve as a distraction. Keep the soldiers away from the prison unit," Obi Wan said, moving to a computer where R2 had already plugged himself in. "Senator Amidala is safe in one of the cells," he said, looking at a map on the computer. "You must also shut off the tracker beam, or we will never get out of here."

"Alright. Anakin, Nicholas, come with me," Crystal said, and they immediately began to follow her, going in the opposite direction of Obi Wan and R2.

"I have never felt such powerful darkness before," Anakin commented as they turned around a corner.

"Lord Sidious is here," Crystal said calmly, opening a door and then stepping into another hallway.

"Should we destroy him while we are here?" Nicholas asked.

"Nonsense! He is too powerful, and we are simply supposed to be distracting the soldiers, not getting killed by them," Crystal said and then stopped at another door. "There are many soldiers in here. The tracker beam is on the other side of the complex. We have to go through the next hall to get there."

"Do we kill all the soldiers?" Anakin asked.

"No. I will confuse them long enough for us to get past them and into the doorway of the hall next to the one they are in. As soon as we are in the doorway, I will leave them alone, and they will see us and follow. That should give Obi Wan enough distraction," Crystal said.

She closed her eyes and immediately began working. A few seconds passed before she nodded her head and said quietly, "Go ahead in."

"I don't like this," Anakin said as he and Nicholas stepped towards the door.

"Neither do I, but there is nothing else we can do. We have to trust Crystal," Nicholas said, and then he pushed a button on the side of the door and the door slid open.

Twelve guards were standing in the hallway, completely silent. Nicholas waved a hand over one of the soldier's visors as he walked past and then whistled.

"Keep going!" Crystal instructed, following Nicholas and Anakin from the rear.

"Where did R2 go?" Anakin asked as they stepped into an open doorway.

"I don't know, but we don't have time to worry about him. They are going to wake up now," Crystal said, and immediately, all of the guards started to move as though awakening from a deep slumber. They caught sight of Nicholas, Anakin, and Crystal and then began to aim their blasters.

"You there! Stay where you are!"

"Run!" Anakin shouted, and the three turned and raced quickly towards the end of the hall, lasers firing all about them.

"Where is the tracker beam machinery?" Nicholas shouted over the blasters.

"Go down this hall, then make a right and then a left. The door in the left hall should be where the tracker beam is!" Crystal shouted, leaping through an open doorway behind him.

"I hope this is enough distraction!" Anakin called out as he raced through the door in the left hall. He immediately came to a stop, Nicholas and then Crystal slamming into him.

"What is it?" Crystal asked, sealing off the door that they had just come through.

"That's a narrow bridge," Anakin commented, and Nicholas and Crystal looked to see their surroundings.

They were in a big shaft of sorts with open air swirling all about them. In the center of the shaft was a small, dome shaped complex with several computers and levers. Crossing from the doorway to the complex was a thin, rickety bridge.

"I'll cross first. We don't have much time," Crystal said, stepping past the men and onto the bridge.

She walked carefully across it, Nicholas and Anakin following behind, their lightsabers drawn. They made it to the complex before the doors suddenly opened and soldiers opened fire on them.

"Cover me!" Crystal shouted, pulling two levers and then hitting four buttons.

"Are you finished?" Nicholas yelled, two guards falling under their own lasers.

"Yes. Clear the doorway and then we can go," Crystal instructed, drawing her lightsaber.

In a matter of minutes all of the soldiers were lying senseless on the ground, the victims of a Force attack. Anakin stepped onto the bridge first, followed by Nicholas and then Crystal. As they began to walk, they heard a strange grating sound coming from beneath their feet.

"What is that noise?" Crystal asked, and then turned her head slightly. She gasped and grabbed hold of Nicholas' arm.

"What is it?"

"It's a vanishing bridge! Run Anakin! The security was set up so that people could get to the complex, but unless they knew some type of password, they wouldn't be able to make it back! Run!" Crystal panicked, and Anakin immediately began to run, going as fast as he could towards the doorway.

The bridge began to disappear behind the runners, and as soon as Nicholas reached the doorway, the bridge completely gave way. Crystal fell, grabbing hold of the floor as she did so.

"Help!" she gasped, struggling to pull herself back up. Nicholas reached down and grabbed her hands, pulling her quickly back into the doorway.

"I sure hope Master Obi Wan has Senator Amidala now. I am really tired of this game of chase," Nicholas frowned as the group began to run again.

"We will go towards the ship and see where he is," Anakin nodded. He changed his mind a second later as a voice cut into his thoughts.

"What is it?" Nicholas asked, noticing Anakin tense up a bit.

"Master Obi Wan has Senator Amidala. The only way they can get back into a hangar is through a certain room, and judging by his senses, Lord Sidious is in the room. Master Obi Wan needs help."

"Lord Sidious?" Nicholas gasped, turning his head to look at Crystal.

"We will have to go to his aid. We need to burst into the room without any forewarning," Crystal instructed, drawing her lightsaber. "Do you know where Master Obi Wan is?"

"He should be right down this hall. There is the door leading into the room," Anakin said, sweat rolling down his neck. "How are we going to do this again?"

"Rush in," Crystal said, igniting her lightsaber and getting in front of the men.

The door was locked when Crystal reached it, and she struggled with the control box to get it open. As she did so, Anakin ignited his lightsaber and thrust it into the door. He gasped in surprise as the lightsaber almost got stuck, and then he pulled it violently out of the door.

"It didn't leave a mark!" he exclaimed.

"It has cortosis ore in it," Nicholas said easily. "It's the only material known to stop a lightsaber."

"How will we get in?" Anakin asked, looking at Crystal. "We have to get Senator Amidala!"

As if on cue, the electronic doors suddenly pulled apart.

"How did you do that?" Nicholas asked, stepping next to Crystal as a sudden dread flowed through him.

"I didn't do it. He did," Crystal said quietly and then stepped into the room.

Nicholas and Anakin followed her closely, and as soon as all three had gotten through the doorway, the door slammed shut behind them.

The room that the three Jedi had entered was dark with only a few glowing green lights for them to see by. They had only taken five steps when Crystal suddenly stopped and spun violently on her heels, her glowing teal blade held out in front of her.

"I know you are here, so wherever you are, reveal yourself!" She shouted, her voice echoing eerily through the dark room.

An evil chuckle answered her, and she closed her eyes tightly, trying to feel where Lord Sidious was. As she concentrated, another door opened, and Obi Wan and Padme entered the room, running towards Anakin and Nicholas.

"Anakin!" Padme cried out, but before she was within reaching distance of the Jedi, Crystal screamed.

"No! Stop!"

She sprang backwards, just in time to block a blue bolt of energy on her lightsaber that had been aimed at the senator.

"You will go nowhere," A voice suddenly cut into the darkness, and Anakin reached out and grabbed Padme, pulling her quickly towards him, his lightsaber held in front of her to protect her.

"You cannot hide forever, Lord Sidious," Obi Wan said, his voice calm and commanding.

"No indeed, Obi Wan Kenobi."

Some green lights suddenly lit up a section of the room, revealing Lord Sidious, his cloak covering his face.

"You will not escape me."

"Run for the doors!" Obi Wan suddenly ordered, and all except Crystal began to turn and run.

Crystal stood calmly where she was, her eyes shut tightly. Lord Sidious suddenly let out some more energy bolts, and they hit his targets squarely. Nicholas fell back, stunned as he was hit in the chest, Obi Wan tripped, and Anakin and Padme nearly fell together as Anakin caught the bolt on his blade. Lord Sidious rained bolt upon bolt on the Jedi, more often than not succeeding in hitting them.

"Crystal!" Nicholas cried, falling to the ground as bolts flowed through his blood. "Help! The senator can't take much more of this!"

Crystal opened her eyes slowly, and a look appeared in them that Nicholas had never seen. It chilled him to see her expression, one of complete power and control.

"What's that?" Anakin shouted, and all turned their heads to look where the dark lord was seated.

In front of him, rotating so rapidly that it was a blur, was a ball of fire. Flames were sparking off of it, and it was flying towards Lord Sidious, approaching him so rapidly that it was almost impossible to continue gazing at the amazing object. As it was, it was already so bright that the room was flooded with light. Lord Sidious got out of his chair, covering his eyes and moving rapidly towards a door behind his chair.

"Oh no you don't," Crystal whispered.

The ball picked up speed, and just as Lord Sidious was exiting the room, the ball exploded, some of its flames leaping onto the dark lord's cloak.

Before anyone had a chance to say anything more, Obi Wan was back on his feet and running towards one of the doors.

"Let's go! We need to leave!" he ordered, and everyone began to follow him, Anakin carrying an unconscious Padme.

The group ran through many different corridors, finally coming to the hangar.

"How are we going to get back in?" Nicholas asked, catching sight of the soldiers that surrounded the ship.

"It seems that R2-D2 already has the aircraft running. He kept the ramp down for us. If we go quickly, we can jump onto the ramp without any trouble."

Obi Wan, Crystal and Nicholas kept their lightsabers ignited as they ran into the hangar, rushing past the soldiers who were standing away from them to avoid the blades. They did have the courage to fire their blasters, but before any could land, the Jedi and Padme were safe in the plane, the ramp being closed rapidly behind them.

"Set course for Coruscant!" Nicholas ordered, strapping himself into the pilot's seat in the cockpit.

R2 beeped his affirmation, and Nicholas sat back as he began to fly the plane out of the hangar. Obi Wan sat down next to him with Anakin behind him.

"Where is the senator?" Nicholas asked, his eyes on the open space before the plane.

"Crystal is tending to her in the back, making sure she is all right," Anakin said, and Nicholas nodded.

"Good. Hold on. We are going to be making the jump to lightspeed in about two and a half minutes."

"What was that back there?" Anakin asked, strapping himself in.

"The fireball?" Obi Wan asked, his chin in his hand in a thoughtful manner.

"Yes."

"I am not sure," Obi Wan said, his forehead furrowed as he shook his head. "I think the undefeatable Jedi was there. No other Jedi could do such a thing."

"Didn't master Yoda make a ball like that of some sort before?" Anakin asked.

"Sort of. He caught the energy shots from Count Dooku and they formed a ball in his hand. He didn't actually make a fiery ball appear, though. I am very concerned that, that…" Obi Wan sighed and Nicholas finished the thought for him.

"That Lord Sidious is the undefeatable Jedi."

"That would be horrible!" Anakin frowned.

"It would be too horrible to contemplate. However, I don't think that is true," Nicholas said thoughtfully. "Why would he be fleeing from his own power?"

The word "power" came out as a whisper, and Obi Wan and Anakin glanced at Nicholas with concern.

"What is it, Nicholas?"

Nicholas closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and remembering the look that had been on Crystal's face.

"I just have a hunch," he said quietly. "That's all that it is though. Just a hunch," he said quickly, opening his eyes. "Lightspeed activated," he said over the speakers, and the stars in front of the plane became strings of light as the plane sped through them.

Crystal stepped into the cockpit fifteen minutes later looking extremely tired.

"How is the senator?" Anakin asked, standing up from his seat.

"She is quite well," Crystal said and then slumped into one of the seats.

"I will see if she needs anything," Anakin said and then left the cockpit.

"You seem very tired Crystal," Obi Wan said with a bit of concern.

"I have used more energy than I thought I would be using and more than I have used in a long time," Crystal sighed.

"Crystal," Nicholas said from his seat.

"Yes?" She asked wearily.

"Do you think Lord Sidious caused the fireball?"

Crystal's green eyes were dark as she answered, "No. Why would he flee from his own devices?"

"Perhaps the fireball got out of control," Nicholas said, catching Obi Wan's eye.

Obi Wan frowned, trying to understand his Padawan's sudden look, and then, as if coming out of a dream, he shook his head and his mouth opened slowly. "Surely you aren't thinking, Nicholas…"

"Look at her eyes, Obi Wan. She never lets me look at them, but she might let you," Nicholas said with a shrug.

"What are you thinking?" Crystal asked, sitting back as Obi Wan suddenly looked her full in the face, his eyes studying hers.

"Your eyes have a peculiar shine to them, Crystal. They almost look as though they were watering, as though there was smoke blowing up into them," Obi Wan said with surprise.

"Really?" Crystal asked, blinking a few times.

"You don't happen to know who caused that fireball, do you?" Obi Wan asked as he slowly stood up and moved towards her.

"Does it matter?" she asked, her voice becoming hard. "My eyes are not smoky. They always have a peculiar glow…almost as though they can glow in the dark."

"Or see through walls? Or have enough power to cause things such as fireballs?"

"I don't know what you are saying," Crystal said uncomfortably, standing up.

"Crystal, are you…are you…" Obi Wan stammered over his words, his shock overwhelming him.

"Are you the undefeatable Jedi?" Nicholas asked, looking over his shoulder, his eyes wide open.

"You wouldn't believe me if I said I was or if I said I wasn't. No one seems to believe me much," Crystal said calmly.

"I will believe you!" Obi Wan said loudly, and Crystal laughed.

"So persuasive all of you are. Perhaps it was Nicholas that caused the fireball. How about that?"

"I did no such thing. I was writhing in agony on the ground because I wasn't alert enough to protect myself," Nicholas frowned.

"You would really like to know the truth?" Crystal asked, her eyes boring into his.

"Yes, I would."

"Well then, Nicholas. I will make a deal with you. If I tell you the answer to what you would like to know, you will have to tell me the truth about your past, since it's high time your master knew about it," Crystal said, her eyebrow raised.

"What hasn't he told me?" Obi Wan asked, looking at Nicholas.

Nicholas gulped and then slowly nodded his head. "I will do that if you tell us."

"Very well then." Crystal sat back in her chair casually, one leg crossed over the other and her hands on the armrests. "I am the so-called undefeatable Jedi. I made the fireball."

"Astonishing! And to think, we had you this whole time and didn't know!" Obi Wan gasped.

"And why do you think that is?" Crystal smiled.

"Because you are able to put a barrier over your thoughts so that no one can know them," Nicholas said softly. "And because of that, you also have a weakness, Crystal. What is it?"

"A weakness? Where have you heard such things?" Crystal asked.

"I heard it from Master Obi Wan. You have a weakness."

"My weakness is my own problem, Nicholas. Now, tell Obi Wan about your past, if you please. You did say you would tell," Crystal said.

"You are the undefeatable Jedi. You tell him who I am," Nicholas said, turning his chair away and looking out the cockpit window again.

"It doesn't take the undefeatable Jedi to know who you are. You have already revealed it. It just seems that I am the only one who caught it," Crystal said. "I will tell Master Obi Wan."

"What is such a great secret that Nicholas has not told me?" Obi Wan asked, sitting back in his seat with a sigh. "I have already been shocked enough."

Crystal smiled and repositioned herself in her chair.

"I will tell you who Nicholas really is," she said. "Perhaps you have heard of one called Vanisher before, Master Obi Wan?"

Obi Wan stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I believe I have heard the name before, but I don't know much about him."

"Vanisher was a man who lived on Tatooine. For several years he was a smuggler and bounty hunter for Jabba the Hutt. His greatest trait was that he could vanish from right in front of his enemies' eyes."

"Pardon me, but he was not a bounty hunter or a smuggler," Nicholas said, swiveling his chair around again.

"Why don't you tell the story then, Nicholas? You certainly know it better than I do," Crystal offered.

Nicholas sighed and then shrugged his shoulders.

"Fine then. Vanisher _trained_ bounty hunters and smugglers. When he was thirteen, he went to Jabba's palace looking for work. Jabba wasn't going to let him do anything, but after numerous tests, it was discovered that the young man was extremely talented at hiding and fleeing from bounty hunters. He was so much so that Jabba hired him to train his men. He would send Vanisher into outer space or to a different planet and would then have his bounty hunters find Vanisher. If they could not find him in three days, they were disposed of. For the smugglers, Vanisher was trained to either attack their ships or pretend to steal their merchandise. They would then have to protect themselves from him or recover their treasures. If they couldn't do it in three days, they weren't hired."

"Vanisher also had strength and speed that was above everyone else's," Crystal added. "He could climb magnificently as well as fly and run. He was physically very strong and was an excellent pilot. That is how no one ever had him for long."

"And the smugglers and bounty hunters were never allowed to kill him," Nicholas sighed. "Therefore, Jabba gave him a certain uniform with a badge so that he would always be recognized and never harmed. He wore white Tatooine garb with gold lining around the neck and sleeves. He also had a gold badge on his shirt. It had a red lightning streak on it."

After having said so, Nicholas reached into his shirt and then pulled his hand back out, closed over something.

"Go ahead Nicholas," Crystal said, and like a nervous child, Nicholas held out his hand to Obi Wan. He slowly opened his hand, and in it was the gold badge.

"Nicholas!" Obi Wan gasped, gazing into his Padawan's eyes.

"Yes, I am Vanisher. I didn't want you or anyone else to know for fear that I would be cast out of the Jedi Council. They were already against the Jades."

"They will have to know this, Nicholas," Obi Wan said, putting his hand on Nicholas' shoulder.

"I know. I don't think they should know about Crystal though."

"They will need to know that as well," Obi Wan said. "I am supposed to report everything to my masters."

"Even something as important as this? If the news spreads, Lord Sidious and the dark lords will know about it and try and kill Crystal," Nicholas said.

"They already know," Crystal said quietly. "In order to save you and everyone else, I revealed myself to him."

"We can't afford for you to be killed! We need more of your training, more of your strength!" Nicholas exclaimed.

"I have no intentions of getting killed," Crystal chuckled. "Don't worry about that."

"I think I am a bit overwhelmed. I'm going to go into the back with Anakin and Senator Amidala. Tell me when we get to Coruscant," Obi Wan said, standing up with his hand on his forehead. "The undefeatable Jedi, real! It wasn't a legend!"

"Surely this news will bring comfort to the masters," Nicholas said, turning back to face the stars ahead.

"I doubt it," Crystal said. "It will probably cause more strife, hence the reason I should never have come."

"We need your help. How were you trained, Crystal?"

"I trained myself, somehow."

"Where were you before you got to Alderaan?"

"I was on Tatooine, actually."

"You were?"

"Yes. I was a slave of an evil dark lord. When I twelve years old, I finally gained the courage to run from him. He was watching a speeder race, after agreeing to meet with another dark lord, whom I found later, was Darth Maul. Anyhow, I ran away and lived with the Tusken Raiders."

"What?" Nicholas gasped. "They didn't kill you?"

"No," Crystal said, shaking her head. "They seemed to see that I would not harm them and that I needed help. They took me into their care. It wasn't until I was fifteen that I finally left Tatooine and went to Alderaan."

"Were you afraid of your power?" Nicholas asked.

"When I was younger, yes. I couldn't understand what had come over me. I thought the force was dangerous. My captor often used it to torment me. When I was with the Tusken Raiders, I learned that my gifts could be used to help others. It was while with them that I began to practice using it. I knew that I would have to go to the Jedi one day, but I had only heard so much bad about them, that I refused to visit them. When I heard that they were ruled greatly by Lord Sidious, well, I was going to leave them to their own fate. Then you came along. You have great strength, Nicholas. Undoubtedly being Vanisher helped you get the strength you have."

"Can anything be done to save the Jedi?" Nicholas asked quietly.

"Yes. If they wake up in time and see that Chancellor Palpatine really is Lord Sidious, they might very well be saved."

"You must convince them!"

"How?"

"You are the undefeatable Jedi. Surely you can think of something," Nicholas said.

"Just because I may have more strength than the typical Jedi doesn't mean that I can see everything ahead of time or even how to fix everything, Nicholas. You expect too much of me."

The door to the cockpit suddenly slid open and Anakin stepped inside, an excited expression on his face.

"I have good news!" He exclaimed, sitting down next to Crystal.

"Oh?"

"R2 copied the interior plans of the space station. From the different images he has, we can find how to destroy it!"

"That is indeed good news," Crystal smiled. "I knew he would come in handy for something."

"You told him to get the plans, didn't you?" Nicholas asked.

"Of course I did. Why else would I have had him come along? He can talk to the computers," Crystal said, and then sat back comfortably in her chair. "I am going to sleep a bit. Please awaken me when we get to Coruscant."

"Of course," Nicholas nodded and watched as the undefeatable Jedi closed her eyes.


	8. Incredible Power

Chapter Eight

**In this chapter…the destruction of the first space station and some very peculiar happenings! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Eight: Incredible Power**

After arriving at Coruscant, Padme was immediately brought to the Supreme Chancellor, who sent her to her room for some rest. Anakin accompanied her, wanting never to leave her side again. Nicholas, Crystal, Obi Wan and R2 were summoned to the Jedi Council. Crystal walked with a determined step while Nicholas walked with an undetermined gait.

"What are they going to do when they learn who you are?" He asked worriedly as they approached the door leading into the meeting room.

"I don't know, and I really am not concerned about it. They can do as they wish," Crystal said confidently.

"They won't believe it," Obi Wan sighed.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. It won't make much of a difference either way."

Obi Wan sighed again as the door to the room slid open and he stepped inside, followed by the rest of his group.

As soon as Nicholas, Obi Wan and Crystal were seated, the questions began.

"Was Lord Sidious on the space station as you believed he would be, Crystal?" Mace Windu asked, an eyebrow arched.

"Yes, he was," Crystal said. "Was Chancellor Palpatine also absent while we were gone, as I believed he would be?" she asked.

"Yes, he was. We will have to look more closely into this," Mace Windu nodded. "Did you see Lord Sidious?"

"Yes. Crystal had to make him flee so that we could escape. The energy bolts he was throwing at us were very powerful and difficult to fight," Nicholas said, rushing quickly over the part about Crystal.

"Crystal made him flee?" Mace Windu asked, not missing a word.

"Yes sir. She did."

"How did she? That would not be an easy feat," Yoda commented, studying Crystal's face carefully.

"I created a fireball that chased him out of the room," Crystal said easily.

"A fireball?" Mace Windu gasped.

"Yes sir."

"How could you create such a thing? It has never been heard of a fireball being created!"

"She can create whatever she pleases. She is the undefeatable Jedi that we have heard of in myths and legends," Obi Wan said calmly.

The Jedi masters immediately began to speak amongst themselves, their eyes never leaving Crystal.

"How can this be?" Yoda asked. "A stranger, not one of the Order, being the undefeatable Jedi?"

"It is about as possible as your Supreme Chancellor being Lord Sidious, Master Yoda," Crystal said calmly.

"Obi Wan, what did you think of the space station?" Mace Windu asked, trying to get over his surprise.

"It is almost fully capable of destroying hundreds of people. There were thousands of soldiers on the battle station. I believe it poses as a real threat to us," Obi Wan said.

"Did you get any plans of it?"

"Yes. Senator Amidala's R2 unit downloaded the station's structure. The station will need to be destroyed," Obi Wan nodded.

"Perhaps. We must first present it to the senators, that way we can get assistance to destroy it. Keep the information hidden within the droid. I will bring it to the Supreme Chancellor who will show it to all of the galactic councils. All of you are dismissed," Mace Windu said.

Obi Wan, Crystal, and Nicholas stood up and left the room, leaving R2-D2 behind with the Jedi masters.

"Master Windu did not seem in the least bit distressed about who Crystal is," Nicholas commented as they walked towards their rooms.

"I am sure he was distressed. These are not easy times, Nicholas, and I fear that many terrible things are soon to happen," Obi Wan said, shaking his head.

"For instance, showing the space station plans to the entire galactic assembly," Crystal said, her voice hard.

"We will need help to destroy the station, there is no doubt about that," Obi Wan said, turning his head to look at her.

"We don't need everyone's help. We could easily speak to the assemblies at Coruscant and Naboo about it. Both systems would be more than willing to help," Crystal frowned.

"It seems that the Jedi Council is willing to keep a closer watch on the Supreme Chancellor," Nicholas said hopefully, but Crystal shook her head.

"They will send Anakin to spy on him, and Anakin already has an attachment to Palpatine. Things will soon go from bad to worse."

The Galactic Senate was in an uproar, the following day, as it always was.

"Order! Order!"

The cry was echoed throughout the galactic conference room as hundreds of voices blended together at the same time.

"This isn't going so well," Obi Wan sighed, sitting back in his chair.

"One could not expect it to," Crystal said, leaning forward and looking at all of the different expressions on aliens' and humans' faces.

A young woman with very light hair suddenly stood up in the middle of the room and her voice rose clearly above the voices of confused beings.

"This station must be destroyed! If not, complete systems could be wiped out. The dark lords are too powerful to be allowed to survive. If they do, they will take control of every system, destroying their inhabitants and the entire galaxy will be full of evil!"

The room became quiet as the lights began to dim.

"Let us look at the structure of the space station," the woman said, and everyone became silent as the lights went off entirely and a magnified hologram of the space station appeared hovering over everyone's' heads.

"Leave it to Senator Mon Mothma to get everyone's attention," Nicholas whispered as the hologram moved about allowing everyone to get a good look at it.

"How can it be destroyed?" Obi Wan whispered as the hologram moved slowly past him.

"In order for this space station to be destroyed," Mon Mothma called out as the hologram was displayed, "someone must go inside and turn off the system's shield. As soon as that step is completed, our pilots will have to fire into three shafts that are located on the outside of the station."

Lights illuminated the shafts and the inner shield generator.

"We need as much assistance as is possible for this mission. We especially need pilots and one who is willing to go into the station. The Jedi knights have already volunteered to have one of their own go into the space station. The pilots still need to be found."

"Senator, I am willing to send some of the pilots from Alderaan," Senator Organa said, standing up.

"Very good. Thank you Senator."

"And while Naboo does not have much to offer, we do have some pilots that we could willingly volunteer," Senator Amidala spoke up.

"Thank you," Mon Mothma said, and then the lights turned back on. "As all of you know, this must be kept in the strictest confidentiality. We do not want Lord Sidious to hear of this," she said. "All of you are dismissed. Thank you for your attendance."

"He already knows about it," Nicholas sighed as he stood up with the other Jedi. "Which of us will go into the space station?" he asked as he walked down a corridor with Obi Wan and Crystal.

"I have volunteered myself," Crystal said calmly.

"But you can't go! You will be killed, and then the undefeatable Jedi will be no more!" Nicholas said.

"I don't plan on dying. Do you have a better suggestion of who should go?" Crystal asked with a frown.

"Yes! Send me! I was Vanisher! I could get in and get out without anyone noticing."

"Unfortunately, Nicholas, vanishing acts will not work for this mission," Obi Wan chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"You have already been chosen for a different assignment."

"What assignment?"

"You are to be the commander of the pilots," Obi Wan grinned. "Not only that, but if you do well in this mission, Nicholas, you will be promoted to a Jedi knight. You won't have to wear that braid anymore."

"I would be promoted that quickly?" Nicholas gasped.

"You have already proven yourself to be reliable, Nicholas, and your training is nearly complete. Yes, you would be promoted that quickly."

"Then I guess I can't shut off the shield generator. I really don't want Crystal to go, though," Nicholas frowned.

"There is no better person to do it, Nicholas," Obi Wan smiled. "You will be going to Naboo this evening to meet up with your team, I believe."

Nicholas nodded and glanced at Crystal.

"You needn't worry about me," Crystal smiled. "It would be dangerous for anyone to do this job. I might have a greater chance than others of escaping from the station before it is destroyed."

Nicholas turned to face her, and Obi Wan looked over his shoulder as he walked past them.

"I will be going to my room if you need me."

Nicholas nodded as he gazed at Crystal, his eyes trying to catch hers.

"You have been my trainer, my mentor, and the undefeatable Jedi. If anything should happen to you, I would never forgive myself," he said quietly.

"You are forming an attachment that is forbidden, Nicholas. Be wary of your feelings," Crystal warned, glancing into his eyes momentarily before she looked away again.

"How is it that Anakin can care for others, but I can't?"

"Let's not discuss this anymore," Crystal said firmly, opening her apartment door. "I will say farewell to you before you leave. As for now, I need to rest. I have much planning to do, and I must be in solitude to do it."

Nicholas watched as Crystal entered her room and then closed the door behind her. His heart was pounding wildly within him as he contemplated Crystal's warning. He did care for her in a sense that was not merely respect or honor. He wanted to protect her, even if she was the undefeatable Jedi, and he wanted to be able to see all of her emotions, all of her thoughts.

Evening came, and Nicholas finished closing his supply bag and then entered the living area of his apartment. He sat down on a couch, gazing at the red water that flowed freely from a fountain. The red reminded him of Tatooine, and he sighed longingly as he contemplated being back at Jabba's palace with the great power that he had once had. A knock on the door brought him out of his musings, and he looked up, a small smile on his face. With a small wave of his hand, the door slid open, and Crystal, dressed in a beautiful light blue dress, her long hair pinned at the back of her head, entered the room.

"Are your preparations made?" She asked quietly as she walked towards the fountain.

"Yes. I am ready to leave," Nicholas said, standing up.

"You will do well in your mission. I will be accompanying you and your fellow pilots to the space station after you have retrieved them. Then, I will be pulled into the tracker beam. I will keep contact with you by way of a headset. As soon as the shield has been turned off, you and your crewmen will open fire on the station."

"What if you aren't out?" Nicholas asked, stepping towards her.

"Then you will continue as you were told," Crystal said, glancing up at him for a moment. "If I escape, then I escape. If not, you cannot allow the whole mission to fail because of me."

"I can't just let you get killed," Nicholas said passionately.

"You may have to. Now then, I will leave you. You must meet Obi Wan at the landing platform in five minutes," Crystal said, turning away.

"Crystal, is that all you have to say? No words of comfort or care?"

"What would you like me to say?" she asked, spinning around violently.

"That you believe I will succeed and that I have been more to you than just a student. I want you to think of me as a friend, not simply a Padawan," Nicholas said.

Crystal looked at the young man who stood before her. His request was simple, and yet, she could not allow him to form a strong relationship with her.

"After you become a knight I shall consider you a friend. Until then, you are only Vanisher, a Jedi in training. May the force be with you, Captain Nicholas."

Crystal left the room quickly, and the door slid closed behind her. Her words had not been the words of comfort that Nicholas had longed to hear, but he lowered his head submissively, picked up his supply bag, and then left the apartment, walking hastily towards the landing platform.

Obi Wan was standing next to Nicholas' X-Wing, and to Nicholas' pleasure, Anakin and Padme were standing next to him.

"Hello Nicholas," Obi Wan smiled as Nicholas approached them.

"Hello. Has the Council determined when we are to attack the space station?" Nicholas asked as a small compartment opened in the side of the ship and he put his supply bag in.

"Yes. You are to fly to Naboo tonight and join with the rest of your fleet. Tomorrow morning, you and your new fleet will fly over Coruscant where Crystal will meet you. She will be taking my fighter. You will then fly to the space station and attack it in the early afternoon," Obi Wan said.

Nicholas turned to face the group and smiled slightly.

"I will be seeing all of you tomorrow then."

"Be careful, Nicholas. We can't afford to lose you," Anakin said, and then, pushing aside all of his dignity, he reached out and gave Nicholas a hug.

"Our hopes and trust rest entirely on your shoulders Nicholas Jade. Do not fail us," Padme smiled.

"No problem," Nicholas chuckled and then reached out and hugged Obi Wan. "I will succeed, Master."

"I know you will. Now get going, Captain! Your team is waiting for you!" Obi Wan said, patting Nicholas on the back.

Nicholas nodded and then climbed up into the X-Wing. He sat down comfortably and then pulled his gloves on.

"May the force be with you, Nicholas!" Anakin called as the hull began to close.

"It always has been! Same to you, Anakin and Master Obi Wan!" Nicholas called, and then the hull closed completely.

Obi Wan, Anakin and Padme watched as the X-Wing's lights began to glow and the engines were fired up.

"I do hope he will be careful," Obi Wan sighed as the X-Wing began to lift off the platform.

"He will be," Anakin said confidently.

"He will make all of the Jedi proud, I am sure. There is something different about Nicholas," Padme said thoughtfully.

"Yes. He is stronger, somehow, than the rest of us," Obi Wan said, turning away from the platform and entering the embassy building.

The flight to Naboo was uneventful, and Nicholas smiled to himself when he entered the Naboo atmosphere and immediately saw nine X-Wings with ten other fighter planes waiting on a large field in front of the palace. He lowered his X-Wing quickly, bringing it to a standstill in between one of the X-Wings and one of the Alderaan fighters. As soon as his plane was turned off, he climbed out of the hold and made his way to the group of pilots that was standing about on the lawn.

"Ah, he is finally here!" Blake Antilles laughed as Nicholas came to a stop next to him.

"Fellow pilots, I am Captain Nicholas. As you have all heard, I will be leading the assault against the space station," Nicholas smiled to the pilots. "We will be leaving Naboo tomorrow morning and will be flying over Coruscant. As we fly over, Crystal will be joining us in her fighter. She will be going into the space station and will shut down its' shield. Then we will go to work. Who are my two other captains?"

"I am the captain of the X-Wings," Blake said, raising his hand.

"And I shall be commanding the Alderaan Assault Wings. I am Captain Bel Iblis," Bel Iblis said, holding out his hand to Nicholas.

Nicholas shook it heartily. "I have heard much about you, Captain. You both will be responsible for seeing to it that your squadrons obey my orders. If you ever have any suggestions during flight, feel free to tell them to me."

"Yes sir!" Both men saluted.

"Captain Antilles, you will be in charge of Team Blue. Captain Bel Iblis, you will be the leader of Team Red. You can give your pilots whatever numbers you wish and inform me of them later. Now then, it appears that someone has left us something to eat?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes sir."

"Let us have a good meal and then we will get some rest. We will surely be needing it," Nicholas smiled.

Morning brought with it the roar of engines as all twenty fighter planes lifted off Naboo and made their way to Coruscant. The fighters moved rapidly, approaching Coruscant in excellent timing. Hundreds of people and creatures in the slums, suburbs, and passageways of Coruscant stopped what they were doing to glance upwards as the roar of powerful fighter planes drowned out all other sounds. They were able to view a magnificent sight. All twenty fighters were in a diamond formation as they flew over the city towards the senatorial building, and all watched in wonderment as they flew over the building and another plane, Obi Wan Kenobi's fighter, joined them. Then, almost as quickly as they had come, the fighters were gone, back into outer space.

"Are you ready for this, Captain Crystal?" Nicholas asked as the space station came into view.

"Yes."

"Red Three, tap into the station's communication system," Blake's voice could be heard saying over everyone's headsets.

"Yes sir."

"I'm locking into the tracker beam," Crystal called, and Nicholas nodded.

"Go ahead Captain. Be careful. What are we hearing from the station?"

"We have fighters approaching from the rear. They will be here in…five minutes," Red Three said.

"Prepare all fighters for combat!" Nicholas commanded as he watched Crystal's plane become swallowed by the hangar.

Crystal did not wait for the fighter to land before she unstrapped herself and opened the hull. She climbed out of the ship and stood on top of it as it continued to move slowly to a docking area. She grabbed one of the grappling contraptions from her belt and then aimed it at one of the hangar pipes. She fired the gun and watched as the cord wrapped itself around the pipe. She pulled her gloves on and then began to climb up the cord.

"How are you doing?" Nicholas' voice came over her headset.

"I am opening up an entranceway now," Crystal answered, igniting her lightsaber and cutting a hole in the ceiling. She climbed through the hole and left it open, not taking the time to close it.

"When will you be at the deactivator?"

"In approximately one minute if all goes well," Crystal replied.

As Crystal walked towards the deactivator, she confused all minds that she came in contact with, noticing with some surprise that the minds all seemed to be the same. She arrived at the deactivator unmolested, making sure to close and lock the door behind her. She took a deep breath as she looked at the control tower in the center of the open space and then walked confidently across the bridge to the controls. She turned off the tracker beam and then turned off the shield.

"You may proceed to the outlets, Captain Nicholas," she spoke into the headset and then pressed a few buttons, ensuring that the bridge would not begin to vanish again. She made her way across the bridge and then opened the door.

Somehow, to Crystal's complete astonishment, she found some twenty-five soldiers waiting for her.

"I confused them!" she whispered to herself as she began to swing her lightsaber, shielding herself from the blaster bolts that were suddenly firing unmercifully at her.

Finding that she was terribly outnumbered, Crystal suddenly put an invisible shield about her, another trait of her being. She began to run, racing through the soldiers as they continued to fire at her and began to chase her through the corridors back to the hangar.

In the meantime, red dots had begun to appear on all of the pilots' computers.

"They are coming fast!" Blake called over the headset.

"Wait until they come into view before you fire!" Nicholas ordered, turning his fighter. "Send some of your pilots to destroy the station! I'll stay here with the rest and protect you! Go now!"

Six X-Wings suddenly dropped out of Nicholas' view, speeding towards the three shafts. As they dropped, the enemy fighters appeared. The fighters were small, but could move extremely fast, and they whizzed past Nicholas. Nicholas performed a nosedive, turning his fighter to face the enemies in the process.

The surrounding blackness of space became illuminated with laser fire as the two opposing enemies battled each other. Several of the enemy pilots flew after the X-Wings destined for the shafts.

"Captain Antilles, did you get to the shaft yet?" Nicholas shouted as his X-Wing nearly spun out of control.

"Yes! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! Hurry up and get out of there! We need to leave!" Nicholas called. "Crystal, where are you?"

"I'm trying to get back to the hangar!" Crystal shouted over the headset, laser fire ricocheting off the walls surrounding her.

"Hurry up and get out! We already have the three shafts occupied!" Nicholas shouted.

"Don't worry about me!" She called out and then groaned as her arms began to ache from her shield.

Nicholas sighed and sat back, trying to concentrate on fighting the enemies, but at the same time, he could see Crystal clearly as she ran. It seemed almost as though he was there with her. He could see the perspiration dripping down her forehead and could hear her gasping for air.

_Hurry up, Crystal! I can't hold them off much longer! _He panicked inwardly.

A sudden jolt shot through Nicholas' mind, and he felt himself gasping. Crystal had just slid to an abrupt stop and was scared, no, terrified, of something.

"Crystal, what is it?" Nicholas shouted, and to his worry, she didn't answer. "Crystal? Crystal?"

"Captain, is everything all right?" Bel Iblis' voice came over the headset.

"I hope so. Has anyone fired into the shaft yet?" Nicholas gasped.

"Yes Captain. Captain Antilles just told you that. We only have two more shafts to go," Bel Iblis said with concern.

"All right. Keep up the good work, men. Blue Two, watch your tail!"

Crystal was completely frozen in her tracks as a familiar presence flowed through her, causing every nerve in her body to erupt into spasms of fear. Her shield, which she had barely been able to keep holding up, suddenly dropped entirely. She could feel Nicholas panicking, and she tried to clear her mind, but the presence that terrorized her would not leave. It only became worse as a familiar tall figure dressed in a black suit and cloak stepped out of an adjacent corridor, blocking her from escape. She could not see the man's face, but she could see his red, double lightsaber glowing menacingly in front of him.

"Did you miss me?" The voice, a hissing, evil voice, asked.

Crystal lowered her hand to get her lightsaber, but before she could even touch the hilt, a blue blast of energy struck her from the back, and she fell to the floor, stunned.

"Captain Nicholas! Are you all right?" Blake cried out.

"What?"

"You just shouted! Are you all right?"

Nicholas opened his eyes. "Did you get another shaft?" he gasped, breathing heavily.

"Yes. We only have one left. What is the matter?"

"Crystal isn't out yet! Something just happened to her!"

"We are going to have to let her go, Captain!" Bel Iblis shouted.

"No! I won't leave one of my friends behind! Captain Antilles, take over for me!"

"What?"

"I said take over for me! You are in charge! I need someone to cover me!"

"What are you going to do?" Blake panicked.

"I am going to save Crystal!"

"You are going in?"

"No! Do as I say, Blake!"

Nicholas could feel Blake's desire to argue, but the captain wisely ignored his defensive impulse and began to call out orders to the rest of the fighters.

Nicholas sat back in his seat and closed his eyes tightly, trying to find Crystal. It only took him a moment. She was sprawled on the floor, completely unconscious, and there was a large, threatening person standing in front of her, about to bend down and pick her up. Concentrating as hard as he could, Nicholas reached out to Crystal and began to lift her off the floor. He could feel many emotions flowing from the people that were surrounding her, but he pushed the emotions aside, and with all the speed he could give, he pulled Crystal away from her captors, pulling her into the hangar. Fiery beams and pipes were beginning to crash to the floor as the lasers that had been shot through the shafts began to overcome the space station. Nicholas rapidly lifted Crystal over some of the fallen debris and put her into her ship. He closed the hull of the ship and then fired up the engines. As soon as the plane was ready, he lifted it up and flew it out of the hangar.

"The last missile went in! Everyone get away!" Blake shouted over the headset, and Nicholas opened his eyes to see Obi Wan's fighter right behind his.

Crystal was slumped over the dashboard, but she was there. He had done it. Once again, Nicholas used his mind to trigger Obi Wan's ship for lightspeed while at the same time programming his own. Before the space station had completely exploded in a ball of fire, all of the planes from Naboo, Alderaan, and Coruscant had made it to the safety of the open outer space.

"Captain Nicholas, are you all right?" Blake asked over the headset, and Nicholas opened his eyes groggily to see Coruscant floating before him.

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

"You don't sound fine."

"I'm exhausted, that's all."

Nicholas' body was twitching uncontrollably, and he was having difficulty breathing.

"Tell the Coruscant officials that we need immediate emergency help," he managed to say before closing his eyes again. "Crystal is unconscious and I don't know how badly she was hurt."

"What about you?" Blake asked.

"I'm just tired. Other than that, I'll be all right. Tell ground control that I don't want to speak to anyone when I land. I will get Crystal out of the plane, just to make sure she's okay, but then I am going straight to my apartment."

"Very well Captain."

As soon as Nicholas had landed Crystal's plane and then his own, he turned them off and climbed unsteadily out of his fighter. He stumbled over to Crystal's plane and then climbed up to the hull. He pushed a button to open it, but it was sealed shut, and Nicholas could not pull it open. He took out the lightsaber Obi Wan had been letting him use and then ignited it. He cut through the hull and then reached down and pulled Crystal out. She had a great cut on her neck and was oxygen deficient, he determined as he carried her to the ground and then handed her to a physician that had just raced out of the senatorial building.

"Nicholas, what is the matter?" Obi Wan gasped as he reached the landing platform and caught sight of his Padawan.

"I need to go to sleep," Nicholas said, shaking his head. He stumbled into the senatorial building and closed the door behind him.

"Captain Antilles, what happened up there?" Obi Wan asked worriedly as Blake approached him.

"We destroyed the space station. Captain Bel Iblis saw to it that it exploded while the rest of us escaped. He's with us now."

"I mean, what happened to Captain Nicholas?"

"I'm not sure. He told me to take charge while he saved Captain Crystal. She had somehow become trapped in the space station, I gather, and Nicholas was determined to get her out. I caught sight of her as I flew past her plane. She was completely unconscious. I don't know how Nicholas managed to save her," Blake shrugged.

Obi Wan glanced over his shoulder to look at the door that Nicholas had just disappeared through. It couldn't have been possible that he had used his own strength to rescue her, could it? He couldn't possibly have flown his own fighter at the same time that he had rescued Crystal and flown her ship! And if he had, would he survive? He would have had to expend twice his energy to accomplish such a task!

"Good work men! There are refreshments waiting for you inside. Excuse me," Obi Wan said, and then turned and raced back into the building.

Obi Wan ran down a corridor and raced down several sets of stairs to get to Nicholas' apartment.

"Nicholas!" He shouted as he flung his Padawan's door open, breaking it in the process. "Nicholas!"

He ran into Nicholas' bedroom and then stopped abruptly, his heart beating wildly. "What have you done to yourself?" he whispered as he caught sight of Nicholas lying on the bed, fast asleep. The young man's face looked weathered and twenty years older, and muscles in his arms and legs were still twitching violently, almost as though the blue bolts of energy from Lord Sidious had hit him over and over again.

"When will you cease to amaze me, my young Padawan?" Obi Wan asked, stepping over to Nicholas' head and gently pushing back a damp strand of blonde hair. "When will you cease to amaze me?"

Five hours passed before Nicholas began to wake up. He didn't open his eyes but floundered a bit on his bed, trying to get comfortable.

"I can't get up yet," he mumbled, squirming uncomfortably.

One wrong move sent him tumbling over the side of his bed, and he groaned when he landed on the floor.

"Where am I?" he asked, opening his eyes and seeing an open balcony in front of him.

Speeders of all sorts were zooming by, and he rubbed his eyes.

"Am I back on Coruscant?"

"Indeed you are, Nicholas."

Nicholas gasped and spun around, leaping to his feet and nearly slamming into Obi Wan.

"You are awake now," Obi Wan smiled.

"Was I asleep for awhile?"

"Yes."

"Did we destroy the space station?"

"Yes. You succeeded."

"Is Crystal alive?"

"Yes. She has been ordered not to get out of bed until tomorrow morning. Which, by the way, there will be a great ceremony tomorrow morning."

"Here?"

"Yes. Tomorrow afternoon there will be another celebration for a certain new Jedi knight."

"I made it?" Nicholas gasped, grabbing Obi Wan's arms.

"Yes! You did!" Obi Wan laughed as Nicholas hugged him.

"I made it! Yes! Am I allowed to see Crystal?"

"You may. First, though, I want you to eat and tell me what happened."

Obi Wan listened to Nicholas with great interest as the Padawan recounted to him how he had saved Crystal. Obi Wan was amazed with the young man that sat before him. He had so much power, and yet, Crystal was the undefeatable Jedi and Nicholas was an ill-reputed Jade who had been Vanisher. It was strange.

After Nicholas was finished eating, he went to Crystal's room, and after being told that he could go in, he did so. The curtains were closed in her room, and she was obeying the physicians, staying in bed as she had been told. Nicholas sat down on a chair next to the bed and smiled at her pleasantly.

"We made it, Crystal! We destroyed the space station."

"Congratulations, Nicholas. I knew you could do it," Crystal smiled tiredly. "Thank you for saving my life."

"You are welcome," Nicholas said softly, and Crystal glanced at his eyes quickly before she looked back down again.

"You weren't supposed to go out of your way for me, though."

"I didn't go out of my way. What was it that terrorized you?"

Crystal sighed and sat up, pushing loose hair out of her face as she did so.

"I saw him."

"Lord Sidious?"

"No, the Sith lord who held me captive when I was a child. I thought he was dead, since I hadn't heard about him in years. I thought he had just vanished."

"Well, he's dead now," Nicholas said comfortingly.

"No, he's not. He somehow escaped, I am sure," Crystal sighed. "But never mind. We have two celebrations tomorrow," she said, shaking her head. "You are going to be a Jedi knight, and I am going to go back to Alderaan."

"Why?" Nicholas asked, sitting back in shock.

"I don't belong here. It is harmful for me to be here."

"But you can help us, Crystal! We need your help!" Nicholas panicked.

"You are forming too much of an attachment to me," Crystal frowned, moving away from him a bit. "That isn't good. There are enough problems without that."

"I won't let attachment get in the way. I won't fail Master Obi Wan by staying attached, Crystal."

"But you are attached! I won't hear anymore of it!" she said passionately, and Nicholas looked at her inquisitively. "You are going to let me get in the way of things that you need to do, and I don't want you to! I must leave!"

Nicholas lowered his head and then nodded slowly.

"You are right," he said, standing up. "I will see you tomorrow morning. Get well, and get a lot of sleep."

He stood up and then left the room quietly. He didn't see, as he left, the tears streaming down Crystal's cheeks as she watched him go.


	9. Weakness of the Undefeatable

**Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed the last chapter! I'm glad you are enjoying the story! For a little while I wasn't sure anyone was actually looking at it. Continue to enjoy! Here's the next chapter!**

**Chapter Nine: Weakness of the Undefeatable**

The following morning came, and the assembly room was full of aliens and humans. In the center of the room stood the pilots and Crystal from the space station mission on a large platform. The Supreme Chancellor gave a great speech on the heroism of the men and Crystal, and then a medal was put around each person's neck. A few more speeches were given, and then everyone was dismissed.

In the afternoon, the Jedi all gathered in the Jedi Council room.

"You seem a bit upset, Crystal," Obi Wan noted as he took his place next to her. They were standing in a row with the other Jedi, many of them children Padawan.

"I shall soon be leaving, Obi Wan," Crystal said quietly, and Obi Wan looked at her in surprise.

Once again, he noticed her beauty as he did so. The sinking sun was shining through the great glass windows of the room, causing her hair to look red and brilliant. She wore it in twists on the back of her head. Her dress was a satin light purple dress with sheer light purple material draped gracefully over it.

"Why must you leave?" he asked when his thoughts came back to him.

"For reasons best left undiscussed," Crystal smiled slightly. "Don't worry about me, Obi Wan. This is a proud day for you. Your Padawan is moving on to become a knight. You have been successful in your training."

"It was mostly your training," Obi Wan said humbly.

"Thank you, but you have had a major part."

"Silence please!" Mace Windu called, and all of the children and adults ceased speaking as Mace Windu moved to the front of the room where Nicholas stood in black clothes, his small braid draped over his shoulder. Crystal didn't look at him, but she could feel his gaze resting on her, and it made her uncomfortable.

"This afternoon we have come to celebrate the promotion of Nicholas Jade to Jedi knight. Nicholas, your trainers await you," Mace Windu said.

Nicholas nodded and walked towards Anakin, a very serious expression on his face. The whole ceremony was supposed to be serious and dignified, and the little children could only gaze at the great knight with curiosity. Nicholas stopped when he was in front of Anakin and bowed politely.

"As a sign that you are no longer completely dependant on the authority of the Jedi Council, we will remove your braid," Anakin said, and Obi Wan forced himself not to smile when he heard Anakin's voice cracking a bit as he suppressed a chuckle.

Anakin cut Nicholas' braid off, and then he and Nicholas exchanged amused looks. Nicholas stepped over to Obi Wan next, and Obi Wan took his hand and opened it.

"As a sign that you are truly a keeper of the peace, here is your first lightsaber."

He placed the weapon in Nicholas' hand and Nicholas quickly moved it to its holster. He stepped over to Crystal next, who once again avoided looking into his eyes.

"As a symbol of who you are, this is a piece for your lightsaber handle. Always remember who you are, and always be yourself."

She placed the piece in Nicholas' hand, and he smiled when he saw it. It was a metal triangle with a gold lightning streak placed in the center.

"I now present to you Nicholas Jade, the Jedi knight," Mace Windu called, and everyone bowed his or her heads in respect of the new leader.

"Be strong always, and powerful you will stay," Yoda said.

"Keep the peace always, Nicholas, and you will always have a place in the Order," Mace Windu added.

Nicholas nodded and then turned and left the room.

Evening came, and Nicholas went to Crystal's room. He wanted to convince her to stay, and he had come up with an appropriate speech to do so. He knocked on her door, and she did not answer. He knocked two more times, and she still did not answer. He knew she was in her room. He had felt her presence. Perhaps she was just ignoring him. Using the force, Nicholas slid the door open and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He immediately caught sight of Crystal. She was standing outside on her balcony, watching as hundreds of different vehicles passed by. Nicholas walked over to her quietly and then stood next to her.

"What is it you need?" Crystal asked, never looking at him.

"I wanted to say thank you for the lightsaber ornament. It is very nice," Nicholas said.

"You are welcome."

Several seconds of silence passed before Crystal spoke again.

"I know you want me to stay, Nicholas."

"If you know that, then why do you want to leave?"

"Lord Sidious, I believe, somehow knows of my weakness. You were right. I do have one and it grows harder and harder to remain strong with each passing day."

"Why is that?" Nicholas asked, leaning forward on the balcony railing.

"Because I have a reminder every day of what my weakness is."

"What is it?"

"Oh, you would never understand," Crystal said, turning her back to him.

"I can't understand if you won't tell me," Nicholas said quietly.

"This is one thing I cannot tell you," she whispered.

"Why? You could tell me everything else. Do Anakin and Master Obi Wan know your weakness?" Nicholas asked as jealousy began to get the better of him.

"Perhaps they do," Crystal replied.

"Then why can't I?"

"Nicholas, stop," she said, but Nicholas didn't want to stop.

"No one ever seems to trust me," he said, raising his voice a bit. "Have I ever proved myself to be unworthy of it?" he asked, his face becoming red with passion.

"It isn't that Nicholas," Crystal said, trying to hold back her emotions, to put up the wall that Nicholas could not see through. "Why do you wish so terribly for me to stay? My staying won't change anything," she finally said.

"Yes it could. It has changed me," Nicholas said softly, drawing closer to her.

"How so? I have trained you physically, but other than that, you could have done everything else on your own," Crystal said nervously, her heart beginning to beat wildly as she felt her guard being lowered.

"It isn't that," Nicholas said, shaking his head and moving directly next to her so that his arm was almost touching hers.

"Surely it's not…"

"Is it so hard for you to believe? Crystal, look at me, I beg you!" Nicholas pleaded.

Crystal was in turmoil. If she looked at him, then he would be able to see straight through her, right into her heart.

"I can't, Nicholas. I just can't," Crystal said, her voice trembling. "I can't look at you. It's a luxury I can't afford. You should not care for me! It is too dangerous!"

"I want only to look into your eyes," Nicholas said desperately, and Crystal could feel that he was trying hard to remain composed and strong. "Please, Crystal. Let me see your eyes."

His request was simple and innocent, but if Crystal looked into his face, then she would have to tell him the whole truth, which would endanger him. It was possible that he could actually keep her safe if he knew, but threatening his life was not something she was willing to do.

"If you look into my eyes you will be greatly endangered," Crystal finally whispered, shaking her head. "I cannot allow you to."

"But you can allow master Obi Wan and Anakin!"

"Yes!" Crystal said, and then her strength weakened and tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"I can protect you, Crystal. I want to protect you, more than anything else!" Nicholas pleaded.

"It will be your downfall! I cannot let you!"

"Must we depart on such an unhappy ending?" Nicholas asked as his own voice became choked with emotion.

He turned and began to leave the balcony, fighting with himself the whole way. Crystal stood quietly, trying to overcome the feelings of rage that were inside of her. She was angry with herself, angry for being who she was and for having to decline from Nicholas' simple plea. Why could she not be a normal Jedi, able to tell what she felt about things? Why did she have to be so hard?

Nicholas was about to leave the apartment when he heard a sob coming from the balcony.

"Nicholas, wait!" Crystal cried, turning to look at him.

Nicholas turned around to see tears streaming down from Crystal's lovely eyes, those eyes that he had never truly been permitted to see.

"Yes?"

"I can't let you know because…because…" She was gasping as she tried to speak, but there was truly no need to say anything.

Nicholas looked deep into her eyes, suddenly understanding the words that she could not say.

"Is it true that you care for me as well?" He asked gently, walking towards her again.

Crystal could not answer as he draw closer to her and then stood directly in front of her, studying her eyes.

"I can see straight through you," he marveled. "I can see your hurts, your fears. You are completely open. You do care for me!"

"I couldn't tell you, Nicholas, because you…"

He put his hand on her cheek to wipe the tears away and then smiled a bit.

"Maybe it would help to say the truth out loud, Crystal."

"You are my weakness," she whispered, moving his hand away from her. "I don't know how it came to happen, but I cannot keep up my defenses when I am with you, and if Lord Sidious sees it, Nicholas, I will be killed, and you might be as well."

"Don't worry about that now," Nicholas said quietly. "I am here, and I will protect you. I will not let you get hurt by Lord Sidious or anyone else."

"I cannot have you expelled from the Jedi Order on my account. None of your feelings or mine will do us any good. I must leave," Crystal gulped, putting her hand on his arm. "Surely you understand that."

"Yes, I understand it," Nicholas nodded, putting his hand on top of hers.

The two stood silently together for several moments, seeing each other's thoughts as if they were gazing through a clear glass window. There was so much they wanted to say to each other, so much they wanted to do together, but the Council forbade them to do so. They were both so deep in thought that they did not notice the shadow in Crystal's room that had entered several minutes before.

Obi Wan Kenobi stood quietly against a wall, gazing at the two dark silhouettes that were on the balcony, so close together and yet so terribly far apart. He could feel his heart beating wildly as Nicholas whispered to Crystal, tried to comfort her with words. It would be disastrous for Nicholas to become attached and to be expelled. The only thing the Jedi master could do was wait and watch patiently and then speak to Nicholas afterwards.

"Before I leave you, Crystal, might I be allowed to kiss you just once, since we must be parted forever?" Nicholas whispered, holding both her hands in his.

"No," Crystal said, shaking her head. "A kiss is a great symbol, Nicholas. It is a symbol of commitment. You have given your commitment to the Jedi Order, and you must keep your commitment. Don't allow yourself to fall away."

Nicholas nodded and then began to walk away from her, trying to pull himself away from the beautiful woman who stood before him.

"I will leave you now. If ever you need me, Crystal, please let me know."

She nodded as his hands slipped out of hers and he left the balcony and then left her room. Obi Wan followed Nicholas out a few seconds later, and Crystal was left alone with her thoughts.

Morning came, and Nicholas sat in his living area with an expression of complete loss on his face. As soon as he heard a knock on his door, however, his changed his expression and sat up straight.

"Come in!"

The door slid open and Obi Wan stepped inside with a smile on his face.

"Good morning Nicholas! How did the new Jedi knight sleep last night?"

"Not very well, unfortunately," Nicholas sighed and then took a fruit off of the table next to him.

"You do realize that being a knight requires some commitment, of course," Obi Wan said, sitting down next to him.

"Yes, I realize. No attachment and I must always obey what the Council says."

"Will you always remain true to your commitment?" Obi Wan asked, studying Nicholas' face carefully.

"You saw what happened last night, didn't you?" Nicholas asked easily, sitting back a bit on the couch.

"I am afraid so. I had entered Crystal's room to make sure that she was safe since I have been concerned about her welfare."

"If that is what you are concerned about, Master, then I can tell you with all honesty that I will not break my commitment. I will remain loyal to you always. I will never disobey or give you any reason to be disappointed in me."

"Nicholas, the commitment you have made is not an easy one," Obi Wan said, putting his hand on Nicholas' shoulder. "You are young and must very much want a taste of female companionship and comfort. Why do you want so much to be a Jedi?"

"So that I can help the galaxy," Nicholas smiled. "Don't worry about me, Master Obi Wan. I will be quite all right."

"If you say so," Obi Wan sighed. "Mind if I have one of those fruits, Nicholas?"

"Not at all. Take as much as you would like. There was something else you wanted to tell me?"

Obi Wan bit into one of the fruits and nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. Someone came looking for Crystal last night."

Nicholas moved his hand to his lightsaber and his face tightened. "Who was it? What did they want?"

"Apparently it was some chancellor from a planet called Yavin. I haven't heard much of that place. The citizens there seem to like to keep to themselves mostly."

"What did he want?" Nicholas asked.

"He had heard of Crystal before and asked me if she wore a certain necklace all the time, a necklace with a dark green dewdrop gem surrounded by diamonds. She does always wear it, Nicholas, and so I told him."

"And? Why did he want to know that?" Nicholas asked worriedly.

"Crystal is the queen of Yavin, Nicholas."

"Impossible! She always lived on Tatooine or Alderaan!" Nicholas said, jumping up.

"Crystal's parents were killed long ago, and Crystal was captured. Her people could not find her until she helped destroy the space station. Chancellor Arin caught sight of her the other night when she stood in front of the senate and is almost positive she is the queen. He is going to join the Jedi masters in a couple of hours and speak with Crystal. She will probably be leaving us soon."

"She needs protection! She can't get that from anyone else, and we are the only family she has ever known!" Nicholas shouted.

"Calm yourself, Nicholas. If she is indeed the queen, she has a great responsibility to her people. We cannot change her destiny."

"Does she know what has happened?"

"No. She will not know about it until the meeting."

Crystal was confused as she stepped into the Jedi meeting room later that morning. All of the Jedi masters were there, as well as Nicholas, Anakin, Padme, Senator Organa, and another chancellor that she had not met before. The chancellor stared at her as she sat down in a chair across from Mace Windu.

"We have brought you here, Crystal, due to some urgent news that we have just received. Where did you live before Tatooine?" Mace Windu asked, his forehead furrowed.

"I am not sure. I only remember flying about in space for some time before I was captured. Why is this urgent?" Crystal asked nervously.

"Do you remember anything about your parents or the necklace you wear?" the strange chancellor asked.

"No."

"May I see the necklace please?" the chancellor asked, and Crystal took her necklace off and handed it to him.

"Is it what you expected?" Mace Windu asked as the chancellor studied the necklace carefully.

"Yes, it is. There is a hidden rose in the center of the green jewel. Where did you get this from?"

"My parents, I am assuming. I have always had it," Crystal said, squirming noticeably.

"She is the one," the chancellor nodded and then gave the necklace back to her.

"What are you talking about?" Crystal asked.

"My dear child, I am Chancellor Arin," the chancellor said, taking one of her hands in his. "And you are Crystal, the queen of Yavin."

"The queen?" Crystal gasped.

"Yes. You were taken from us many years ago by a Sith lord. He killed your parents, and you were captured. The whole planet has longed for the day that you will return. You must come and take your rightful place as ruler of Yavin," Chancellor Arin smiled.

"I am not a queen! I am a Jedi knight! I can't possibly give that up to become a queen! It is my way of life!" Crystal exclaimed.

"You were trained to be a Jedi, Crystal. You were born to be a queen," Mace Windu said calmly.

"Yavin needs you, my lady," Chancellor Arin said calmly.

"What am I to do?" Crystal asked incredulously.

"Come with me to Yavin and take your place as queen."

Crystal looked at the Jedi who sat before her, studying each face carefully. Everyone wore an expression of utmost seriousness.

"Must I leave?" she found herself asking, and Mace Windu nodded.

"Yes, you must."

"All of you are the only family I have ever had. You are asking me to separate myself from all of you. I am the undefeatable Jedi, and yet you are casting me away."

"If we need your help, we will call for it," Mace Windu said. "We have already determined to keep a closer watch on the supreme chancellor."

"There is more to be done than just that!" Crystal exclaimed.

"We will ask for your assistance when we need it," Mace Windu said firmly.

"Take your rightful place, you must," Yoda nodded.

Crystal sighed and then stood up. "Very well then, Chancellor Arin. When did you want me to leave?"

"Tonight, if you please. She will have all the protection she needs," Chancellor Arin spoke to the Order.

"You may take her this evening. Crystal, gather your things," Mace Windu said.

Crystal turned and left the room quietly, confused and upset.

The Jedi stood at the landing platform that evening as Chancellor Arin's men carried Crystal's belongings onto a Yavin fighter. Crystal approached the Jedi quietly. She gave several kind words to the children and pats on the shoulder to the adults before she turned to the Jedi masters.

"You have all been so dear to me. I will return sometime, I am sure," she said as she shook Mace Windu's hand. She hugged Obi Wan, shook Yoda's hand, and then turned to Anakin. "Farewell Anakin," She said sadly, and Anakin reached out and gave her a hug.

"May the force be with you," he said calmly.

"I will see you again. Take care, Anakin, to always do what you have been instructed, whether you agree with it or not," Crystal said, and then turned to Nicholas.

Neither of them said a word as Nicholas suddenly reached out and pulled her into a hug. They could feel each other's sadness as they held each other, and as Crystal pulled away, Nicholas lowered his head to whisper in her ear.

"I will always care for you, Crystal, and will never forget you. May the force be with you, always."

"The same to you, Nicholas," Crystal gulped and then turned back towards the ship.

Soldiers were standing on either side of the ramp and Chancellor Arin was standing in front of it, waiting patiently. She stepped past him and then walked in between the soldiers, disappearing into the ship.

All eyes were on Nicholas as the ship lifted off and disappeared from sight. The young man had a look of complete passion on his face, but he remained composed and gulped his emotions down. He didn't feel Anakin put an understanding hand on his shoulder.

"She's gone, just like that," Nicholas said presently. "We had the undefeatable Jedi in our midst, and now she's gone."

"Strange how things work sometimes," Obi Wan commented. "I am sure we will see her again. Now that she has come into our lives, she can't just walk out of them. Besides," he smiled, "she is too powerful to want to sit in a palace for very long. If she sees that something bad is happening, she will not just sit and let us handle it."

"She will be back," Anakin said comfortingly.

"I really hope so," Nicholas sighed as he turned to go back into the senatorial building.

Nicholas sat alone in his apartment that night, thinking. He thought back to when he had met Crystal, how her beauty had automatically stunned him when she first revealed herself to him. He thought of the promises he had made to become a Jedi and frowned as he thought of the promise to never form attachments. His love for Crystal had sprung up suddenly and much faster than he had ever believed it could. Now she was gone, and while the rest of the Jedi and galaxy were preparing for an inevitable war, a war greater than any possible physical one was waging itself within Nicholas, threatening to tear him in two.


	10. Appearance of Mike Solo

**Thank you so much, again, to everyone who's been reviewing! Please continue, and enjoy this chapter!**

**Chapter Ten: Appearance of Mike Solo**

Crystal gazed in wonderment as the space ship neared Yavin. The planet, from her view, appeared to be beautiful and flourishing with life and growth. It was a blue planet, with different shades of green swirled throughout the base color.

"Is this a water planet?" Crystal asked Chancellor Arin.

"Not really. The blue that you see, for the most part, is just the sky blocking all view of the actual planet. Yavin has many woods as well as great oceans and waterfalls. Some of our waterfalls are more beautiful than even Naboo's," he smiled.

"Is the palace more beautiful? I've seen pictures of Naboo and could never dream that anything would be more beautiful," Crystal said, looking at him.

"I believe our palace to be more beautiful. Naboo's palace is made of deep shades of red and orange. Our palace is made of gray and white stones and bricks. We also have great amounts of marble in the palace. I believe it is one of the most beautiful palaces in the galaxy."

"Will the people be there to see me?"

"Most likely," Chancellor Arin nodded.

"Am I dressed appropriately for the occasion?"

Chancellor Arin looked carefully at Yavin's young, long-lost queen. She was wearing black pants with a light green shirt and knee-high boots. Her hair was braided artfully, and he smiled politely.

"You are appropriate enough."

"Do the people of Yavin dress more formally than most other systems?" Crystal asked, noting the chancellor's intricate robe and suit.

"Yes, but you are well off for now. You have been traveling. They will not expect you to be dressed for the occasion."

Several minutes passed, and the ship began to lower itself towards the ground. As it did so, Crystal stared at the great palace that was a short distance in front of the landing platform. It was beautiful. Green vines with some type of flowers on them grew freely on the palace, making it an even more captivating scene. A great town surrounded the castle. Beautiful homes could be seen shining in the sunlight; their stone walls a great sight to behold.

"This is my kingdom?" Crystal asked breathlessly.

"Yes, my lady, as well as several more that are stretched across the planet," Chancellor Arin nodded.

As soon as the ship landed, the ramp was put down, and Crystal walked towards it expectantly. Chancellor Arin stood at her side as the guards stood in formation on both sides of the ramp.

"May I off you my arm, my lady?" Chancellor Arin asked, and Crystal nodded.

She put her hand on his arm and then stepped onto the ramp and began to walk gracefully down it. The first thing she noted, as she stepped off the ramp, were the beautiful roses that were at her feet. The roses were more beautiful than she had ever seen before on any other planet. They were violet-colored, and each rose petal had gold on its tip.

"These are so beautiful," she whispered as she leaned over to pick up one of the flowers.

A cough from Chancellor Arin caused her to look up at him.

"Am I doing something wrong?" she asked.

"Her ladyship needs never to stoop down in front of others," he whispered.

"Others?"

Crystal glanced up in front of her to see hundreds of people watching her from a short distance away.

"As her ladyship can see, there are plenty more flowers of the like here that she can get later," Chancellor Arin said quietly and Crystal nodded.

She stood up straight and gazed at the people as she continued to walk towards them across the rose carpet that had been prepared for her.

"Citizens of Yavin, this is Queen Crystal, the one that we have all been greatly anticipating the arrival of," Chancellor Arin said as Crystal stopped in front of the people.

Instead of cheering, everyone, adults and children alike, bowed slightly and then stood back up, their eyes never leaving Crystal.

"What am I supposed to say?" she whispered to the chancellor.

"There is nothing that needs to be said at the moment. You will speak to them later. Come, we must get you into the palace."

Crystal was brought into the luxurious palace and was then led up an exquisite staircase to a greatly ornamented door.

"This is your apartment, my lady. Guards will always be posted outside of your door and outside of your room. Your maids are waiting inside," Chancellor Arin said with a bow, and then he left.

"Maids?" Crystal whispered as a guard opened the door for her and she stepped inside.

The room that she had been given was the largest and most beautiful room that she had ever had. She stepped into the living area of the great apartment. The furniture was all made of soft white fabric, and there was a great gold and light purple rug on the floor. A water fountain flowed from one of the walls, causing there to be a sort of creek that ran through the room. Great open windows filled the room with light, shining through sheer light purple curtains. There were small round gold tables next to the pieces of furniture, each with several of the gold-tipped roses on them. The bedroom, Crystal found, had a beautiful tile floor with large curtains that opened up onto a large balcony overlooking an ocean. The bed was draped in thick white blankets, and light purple and white pillows were standing decoratively against the headboard. There was another room with great closets that were empty, waiting to be filled with beautiful and costly clothes and accessories of all sorts. In the bedroom also, Crystal saw, was a beautiful vanity with a great mirror and another vase of the roses on it.

"It seems as though everything has been prepared in advance for me," she whispered to herself as she went back into the living area.

Another door stood out against the wall, and Crystal walked over to it and opened it. To her surprise, she found another, much smaller apartment, with two young ladies dressed in light blue sitting on one of the beds.

"Oh, I am dreadfully sorry!" Crystal gasped, stepping back.

The ladies immediately stood up and rushed to her, great smiles on their faces.

"You needn't apologize, my lady. We are your handmaidens, and you are welcome to enter our quarters as much as you please," One of them spoke. "I am Rose and this is Emma. Welcome to Yavin, my lady."

Crystal smiled as the ladies curtseyed to her. "It is a pleasure meeting both of you."

"Your clothes will be made for you tomorrow, my lady, and a man will be coming with all sorts of jewelry and accessories for you to choose from," Emma smiled.

"That will be pleasurable, I am sure. Is Yavin fond of intricate hair pieces and headsets?" Crystal asked curiously.

"No, my lady. Mostly the queens of old have worn their crown always on their head, signifying the pride and beauty of Yavin. I believe that our supreme chancellor will have you wear a jewel on your forehead, the jewel of Yavin, until you are crowned."

"I am assuming that the jewel of Yavin is the dark green gem with the diamonds around it?"

"Yes, my lady."

Crystal stood still for a few moments, thinking, and then she smiled at the ladies and turned to go back into her room.

"It was pleasurable meeting you. I will see the both of you tomorrow, I suppose?"

"Or any other time that we are needed, my lady," Rose smiled.

The day passed quickly, and Crystal went to sleep that night with the knowledge that the following day would begin a whole new way of living and mannerism. She was accustomed to humble dwellings and being able to intermingle freely with other people. Now, it seemed, she would have to put aside those things.

It was difficult to fall asleep, for Crystal's heart had a peculiar ache to it that she had never felt. She knew that the ache came from her unhappiness on leaving Nicholas, and she tried to brush all thoughts of him aside, knowing that it would be wrong for any strong attachment to be formed between them. It was for the best of both of them, she decided as she drifted off to sleep, that they were separated.

Morning came, bringing with it the last simple gown Crystal would be permitted to wear in Yavin. Rose and Emma fashioned Crystal's hair after she had dressed herself in the borrowed gown. They put a gold chain on her forehead, with the green gem hanging from it, and then intermingled the chain in the twists that they put in Crystal's hair. By the time they were finished with her, the simple Crystal with the easy tastes had been transformed into the dignified formal queen.

Shortly after breakfast, the seamstresses came, and after taking Crystal's measurements, much to her dismay, one of the senators, Senator Eleanor, began to choose what style of clothes she was to wear. The clothes that the woman picked were very intricate and costly, and Crystal knew that with each passing morning, she would need her handmaidens to help her dress. The cloth that was chosen for her dresses was made of only the finest materials, satins, silks and velvets, and Crystal had no choice as to the colors she desired. She hoped that she would at least be allowed to pick out the jewelry and accessories for herself in the afternoon.

As Crystal walked towards the great throne room that afternoon, Chancellor Arin spoke to her quietly from the side.

"You must make wise choices with this particular merchant, my lady. I have heard rumors that he is one of the best merchants in the galaxy, however, he is very closely connected to Jabba the Hutt from Tatooine, and his wares could be stolen or fake. You are only to choose real jewels and stones for yourself, and you must pay careful attention to everything he displays before you."

"You will be there, of course?" Crystal asked, turning her head to face the chancellor as guards opened the doors to the throne room.

"Of course, my lady, but you must make the choices of your accessories for yourself."

Crystal stood before the throne as the merchant was brought out of another room and stood before her, many heavy chests sorted about him.

"My lady, may I introduce myself, before I display to you the riches I have to offer," the tall, handsome man with sparkling eyes said as he bowed before Crystal.

"You may," Crystal answered.

"I am Michael Solo. You may call me Mike, however. Each treasure that I have to display to you has come from Jabba the Hutt's palace. None of these articles are false, and I believe you will find the cost of each to be satisfactory."

"I will determine that myself, thank you, Mr. Solo. Pray tell, before I trust you to display your treasures to me, are you one of the best merchants, as I have heard tell?"

Chancellor Arin looked at Crystal curiously, but he respectfully said nothing.

"I am considered to be one of the best, my lady," Mike said with a bow.

"Then perhaps you can tell me from whence you received your training? Have you heard of one called Vanisher?"

Mike looked at her uncomfortably. "I have. He was my trainer."

"Did you succeed in all of the training that you received from him?"

"No, unfortunately. Were it not for Vanisher's mercy, Jabba would have disposed of me. You see, my lady, I am primarily a smuggler. I was assigned the duty of going into space with some of Jabba's goods, and then Vanisher would come and try and steal them. Unfortunately, I had three days to get the goods back to Jabba safely, and Vanisher stole them at the end of the third day, right before I was to return."

"Then how came it that you were hired?" Crystal asked, and the senators and officials in the room nodded their heads at each other approvingly.

"Vanisher explained to Jabba that I had done well, even though I had been stolen from. He wanted to give me a chance."

"Did you see him speak to Jabba about that?"

"No, my lady. As it was, I never even did see Vanisher. He somehow managed to steal my goods without my seeing him. He gave a letter to Jabba, who in turn gave the letter to me after he read it."

"May I see it?" Crystal asked.

"Yes, my lady."

Mike reached into his vest and pulled out a piece of rolled paper. He handed the paper to a guard who gave it to Crystal. She opened the paper and stared at it.

"I must admit, I never could read Huttese," she said.

"May I read it to you?" Mike asked, and Crystal nodded.

Mike took the paper back and began to read. Crystal listened carefully as he did so. When he was finished, she said quietly, "That sounds like good evidence of your honesty and success, Mr. Solo. However, I do wish that there was some proof that I can read."

"There is! May I approach you, my lady?"

"You may."

Mike stepped next to Crystal and pointed his finger at a short line on the bottom of the page.

"I am certain you can read this word, my lady."

"Yes, I can."

"I will step away from you, and then, if you please, could you read it out loud?"

Crystal looked at him with a bit of confusion, but nodded her head.

"Very well."

Mike bowed and then stepped away from her. As soon as he had moved, Crystal said, "Sincerely." As soon as she finished, the word "Vanisher" suddenly appeared beneath it and then disappeared again just as quickly as it had come. Crystal gasped and looked up at Mike with a smile on her face.

"That is incredible!"

"Only Vanisher had ink like that. No one knows where he got it from or how he got it, but no one else had ink like that," Mike smiled.

"I believe you to be an honest man, Mr. Solo. Please, show me your wares," Crystal said excitedly.

As Mike began to open his boxes, Crystal glanced at the paper again and whispered the word "Sincerely." She watched again as Vanisher's name illuminated at the bottom of the page, and before it had disappeared, she put a finger gently on the word and kept her finger there as it disappeared.

"You have come into my life just as quickly as you have gone out, Vanisher," she whispered, her heart overflowing with emotion. "Oh Nicholas, I wish you could be here."

The morning passed swiftly enough, and in the afternoon, Crystal left the palace with Senator Eleanor, who would be showing her all that she needed to see of Yavin. The day passed pleasantly. Crystal was able to visit with the people of Yavin and was able to see the beauty of the planet. Yavin did have immense waterfalls as well as great open fields and masses of woods. Crystal especially enjoyed seeing the oceans. Her planet truly was a beautiful one.

A month of learning and experience quickly passed, and the day marking a whole month brought with it a great flurry of activity on Yavin. Crystal was kept busy from morning to night with signing invitations and planning seating for the hundreds of guests that would be coming to her coronation ceremony. Her servants ran to and fro throughout the palace, packaging the invitations and bringing them to transportation vessels. Mike Solo had agreed to help, and had also, as a gift for the new queen, supplied her with genuine gold ink for the invitations. The people of Yavin, young and old alike, decorated their towns stunningly in preparation for the guests and great upcoming day.

One such package given to Mike Solo was addressed for the senatorial building on Coruscant. True to his reputation, Mike Solo arrived at Coruscant on the very same day he was given the package and was admitted into the building.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Solo?" A servant asked as he led him past the Galactic Assembly Room.

"I am first to go to the Jedi Council and then to Senator Amidala of Naboo, whom I believe to be here," Mike said easily.

"Follow me," the servant replied.

All of the Jedi masters and knights stood up as Mike entered their assembly room. The smuggler gulped a bit nervously when he saw all eyes on him, and only one pair of eyes made him feel comfortable. A young man with dark green eyes was staring at him with an expression on his face that seemed to say, "I've seen you before."

"What brings you here?" Mace Windu asked, frowning at the thought of a smuggler being in the same room as the Jedi Council.

"Invitations from her ladyship of Yavin."

Mike pulled out some sealed envelopes from his vest pocket and began to go through them.

"There is one for Master Mace Windu, Master Yoda, Master Obi Wan Kenobi, Nicholas Jade, Anakin Skywalker, and several other names that I am ashamed to say I can't pronounce."

"Nicholas, take the letters," Mace Windu commanded, and Nicholas stepped forward and took the letters from Mike.

"I also have a letter for Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo. Is she in this building?"

"Yes," Anakin said quickly. "I will take her letter to her."

Mike held the letter out to him, and to the smuggler's utmost surprise, the letter lifted into the air and moved gently towards Anakin.

"You may leave now," Mace Windu said, and Mike nodded, his mouth open in stunned amazement.

"Must be some hokey religion," he mumbled to himself as he left the room and went back to his ship.

"It appears Crystal is to be crowned in two days' time," Yoda spoke after Mike had gone.

"Are we to go?" Nicholas asked hopefully.

"We cannot leave the senatorial building. Too much danger is here for us to leave," Mace Windu said firmly.

"Yes, but support one of our own, we must," Yoda said, and Mace Windu bowed apologetically.

"We will leave tomorrow. Anakin, go to the smuggler before he leaves and inform him that we will be arriving at the Yavin palace tomorrow," Mace Windu said.

"Yes sir."

"Council is dismissed for the day. Everyone, prepare for departing tomorrow," Mace Windu said, and everyone obeyed.

"This does not come as bad news to you, Nicholas," Obi Wan grinned as he and Nicholas walked towards their apartments.

"How can you tell?" Nicholas asked with a smile.

"Because you are shivering as though a winter breeze just blew through. Do not betray your feelings, Nicholas. If the masters see it, you could be left behind."

"You are one of the masters, sir. Couldn't you just as easily have me stay behind?" Nicholas asked.

"You made a promise to me, Nicholas, and I know you will keep it," Obi Wan smiled.

"Thank you for your trust. Am I to wear black to the ceremony?" Nicholas asked.

"Always thinking of your appearance, are you?" Obi Wan chuckled.

"It's sort of a habit I picked up from Jabba's palace."

"If it makes you feel better, you may wear your old Tatooine clothes."

"Thank you sir."

"Now go get your things packed, and rest well, Nicholas. Tomorrow will be a long day."

"Yes Master Obi Wan."

Nicholas was extremely excited as he packed his bag and then changed his clothes. In order to appear formal enough for Yavin's reputed dignified culture, he decided to wear the uniform he had worn as Vanisher. The gold around the neckline and sleeves would most likely fit in better than his black Jedi uniform.

It was determined that several different planes would be taken the next day to Yavin. It would be an unwise decision for all of the Jedi masters to travel in the same ship. Nicholas took his X-Wing, and on the way to Yavin, the fighters from Naboo joined them.

"Ever been to Yavin before, Captain Nicholas?" Blake asked over his headset.

"No, but I hear it is beautiful and the culture is very defined," Nicholas grinned.

"Defined? Do you think I should have worn something other than a flight suit?"

"Crystal invited all of you to her ceremony, didn't she?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes, the whole group from the space station mission."

"Then she knew you would be dressed as pilots. Don't worry, Blake. She'll take you just the way you are."

"What if her people don't?"

Nicholas laughed and shook his head. "You are worrying about clothes, Blake!"

"I know, but I want to be presentable! She is a queen, you know."

"Yes, I know," Nicholas said more to himself than to Blake.

He was nervous about seeing Crystal again. It had been rumored that she had changed greatly since arriving at Yavin, and it bothered him. What if he wasn't dignified or proper enough for her? He resolved to show her his true Vanisher mannerisms.

After entering Yavin's atmosphere, all of the ships were directed to land in a large field near a great waterfall. Nicholas did as he was instructed, and after leaving his fighter, he joined up with the other Jedi. A servant was running in and out of the visitors, and he finally came to the Jedi.

"Hello! Welcome to Yavin! May I ask what party you all are?"

"We are the Jedi masters and knights from Coruscant," Obi Wan smiled.

"The Jedi? Welcome! Welcome! Her majesty was overjoyed to hear that you were coming! Is Senator Amidala with you?" The servant asked.

"Yes, she is," Anakin answered from Nicholas' side.

"Very good! Come with me, please. All of you are to be escorted personally to the palace."

"Are we to stay there?" Mace Windu asked as they were led towards the palace.

"Yes. Her ladyship insists."

The beautiful palace that they were led to entranced all the Jedi. Servants were rushing everywhere as they entered the palace.

"You will be staying in a different part of the palace than this part. This is the queen's section," the servant explained as he led them into a great room. The room had a great gold and white staircase with guards standing on either side of it.

"There she is," Obi Wan whispered to Nicholas as the group of Jedi neared it.

Nicholas looked up to see Crystal standing on the staircase, her head held high and a green jewel shining magnificently on her forehead. She wore a light green dress with sheer material waving gracefully about the satin, and her hair was done in intricate twists. The Jedi weren't certain what to do about seeing the queen, but Padme, who had been well instructed on formalities from all different planets and systems, immediately curtseyed. Anakin saw her and then bowed, the other Jedi following the senator's lead. Crystal gazed at them with an expression of dignity on her face as she nodded her greeting to them.

"We must continue on," the servant said quietly, and the Jedi immediately began to follow him again, taking their eyes off Crystal and looking to the room ahead.

Nicholas glanced back as he stepped through the doorway to see a small smile playing about Crystal's lips as she gazed at him. He bowed in return to her smile and then left the room.

After the Jedi and Senator Amidala were settled in their exquisite apartments, Nicholas stepped quietly out of his room and began to walk down a corridor, guards standing alertly and watching him as he walked by. He came to the staircase that he had seen Crystal on earlier and stopped when the guards told him to halt.

"What is it you need, Master Jedi?" One of them asked politely.

"I'm not a master, actually," Nicholas smiled. "However, I wish to have a word with her majesty."

"She is in her private apartments at the moment, taking care of some last minute preparations for tomorrow."

"I realize that, but I believe she will not mind seeing me."

"Wait here," the guard said, and then he signaled for one of the young guards. "Please inform her majesty that a young Jedi would like to see her."

The guard nodded and then walked quickly up the staircase. He returned a few moments later.

"Her ladyship is willing to see you," he said to Nicholas, and the guards in front of the Jedi stepped aside.

"Where is she, please?" Nicholas asked, stepping onto the stairs.

"She is in the fourth room to the left of the staircase," the guard informed him.

"Thank you."

Nicholas walked up the stairs slowly, admiring the beauty of the palace as he walked. Vines with purple flowers covered the balcony railings, and great marble pillars graced the upstairs floor. The floors themselves were made of intricate, costly tile.

Nicholas arrived at Crystal's door, two guards standing right beside it and several others walking about.

"Will her majesty see me now?" Nicholas asked, and one of the guards spoke through the door.

"Your majesty, the Jedi is here."

"Send him in," Crystal's soft voice could be heard through the door.

The guards opened the door for Nicholas, and he stepped into the queen's apartments. Crystal was seated on one of her couches, but she stood up when she saw Nicholas.

"Greetings, Nicholas."

"Greetings, my lady," Nicholas said with a bow as he drew closer to her.

"Did you have a pleasant flight?"

"As pleasant as could be expected," Nicholas said, stopping when he was a few inches in front of her. "How do you fare, my lady?"

"Crystal, Nicholas. I only wish to be Crystal," Crystal sighed, sitting back down on the couch.

"You aren't as happy as you would like to be?" Nicholas asked.

"No, I am not, but what am I to do, Nicholas? I am trapped here."

"You could toy with your lightsaber. It might make you feel better," Nicholas grinned.

Crystal sighed and shook her head. "I would rather be keeping peace in the galaxy. Has anything great happened since I have been gone?"

"Surely you would know if it had," Nicholas said, an eyebrow raised. "Count Dooku has been causing trouble in some far off place, and we think he might be building yet another droid army. There have also been rumors about some six-armed droid named General Grievous causing trouble. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine doesn't believe that we should have to deal with any of the rumors, however."

"Of course he doesn't," Crystal said with a frown, tightening her fists.

"Calm down, Crystal. There is nothing you or anyone else can do about that now," Nicholas said, sitting down next to her.

"There is plenty someone could do! They could destroy the supreme chancellor! Oh, why must I stay here and be still?" Crystal exclaimed, standing up and moving towards her balcony. "Everyone here was fine without me, but because of custom and tradition, I must remain here while you roam free throughout the galaxy!"

"Being a queen must have its benefits, Crystal, and I am sure you were needed, else the people would not have been looking for you for so long."

Crystal sighed and put her hands on the balcony railing. "I'm sure you didn't come to me just to hear me complain, Nicholas. What is it you needed?"

"I have a gift for you," Nicholas said, taking a small box out of his pocket. "I thought it would go well with your crown and necklace."

Crystal took the box from him and opened it to find earrings that matched the jewel on her necklace.

"Thank you, Nicholas," she whispered as she closed the box and held it tightly in her hand. "Forgive me for my outbursts. I should not have let myself go like that."

"It isn't your fault, Crystal," Nicholas said gently. "Now, I must go. Master Obi Wan only gave me permission to be here for a short while. I am sure things will work out for the best for you."

"I'm not so sure," Crystal sighed as she watched him go back into her room.

He stopped when he reached her door and then smiled at her. "You do have a nice apartment."

Crystal smiled. "Thank you."

Nicholas nodded and then left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.


	11. Meeting Her Match

**Enjoy and please review!**

**Chapter Eleven: Meeting Her Match**

Nicholas awoke the next morning to hear people running back and forth in the hallway in front of his room. He was about to get up and see what the commotion was about when Obi Wan entered his apartment.

"I thought you might like to know, Nicholas, that there is nothing to worry about. Preparations are being made for the ceremony, that is all."

"So early in the morning?" Nicholas yawned and then lay back on his bed with his hands behind his head.

"It is 9:30, my friend, and the ceremony begins at 10:30."

"Does it now?" Nicholas yawned and closed his eyes.

He opened them a few seconds later and leaped out of his bed in surprise.

"It is?"

He took off his shirt quickly and threw on his white Tatooine shirt.

"I almost missed it!" he hollered as he raced to a mirror and looked at himself. "Yuck! There is so much to do and so little time to do it!"

Obi Wan laughed as he watched Nicholas racing about. "I forgot to ask, did Crystal receive your gift last night?"

"That she did!" Nicholas called through the bathroom door.

"And?"

"She's having a tough time," Nicholas said as he stepped back into the room, completely dressed in his Vanisher suit. "She wants to be back home, helping people."

"But Chancellor Arin has informed me that she has been a great blessing to the people, and he knows she will continue to be. She had restored their hope, Nicholas."

"I didn't say that I thought she wasn't helping," Nicholas grinned. "Personally, I am looking very forward to this occasion. I can't wait to see what she looks like in the gown they have prepared for her."

"Nicholas," Obi Wan frowned.

"Oh, Master!" Nicholas laughed as he put a hand on Obi Wan's shoulder. "I was just joking. I would like very much for her to return to us and help us, but she is needed more here."

His voice was very solemn, and Obi Wan looked at him with concern.

"You undergo so much for your cause, Nicholas."

"I want always for you to be proud of me, Master, and I will never fail you. I promised you that, and I intend to keep my promise, no matter how long I wish Crystal were mine. Now come, I am assuming we must eat something before the ceremony."

A short while later, Nicholas and Obi Wan joined the other Jedi in their seats in the great throne room. The room was beautiful and had been decorated accordingly. Several hundreds of people had already arrived in the room, and each Jedi sensed the presences around them, making certain that Crystal would be completely safe when she arrived. Senator Amidala had several guards with her by her seat of honor, as well as the other senators. Senator Organa sat next to Padme, gazing about the throne room with wonder. Purple roses decorated the walls and aisle, and sunlight streamed through the open ceiling. It was a wonderful day for such an occasion.

At the appropriate time, Chancellor Arin, Senator Eleanor, and the other senators of Yavin took their positions on the stage alongside the throne, and a tall man, the supreme chancellor of Yavin, stood directly next to the throne.

He gazed solemnly at the audience, and then called out, "Everyone please rise."

As everyone began to stand, guards opened the grand entrance doors, and Crystal became visible.

Nicholas' mouth was uncommonly dry as he watched Crystal begin to walk down the rose covered aisle. She wore a white dress with sheer purple sleeves and sheer purple on part of the dress' skirt. She had a long white train, and beneath the train, trailing a few inches behind it, was more of the sheer purple fabric. Crystal wore her hair in intricate twists and braids, gold-tipped roses being weaved artfully through her luscious brown hair. On her neck she wore her green-jeweled necklace, and on her ears were the earrings that Nicholas had given her. She was beautiful, stunningly so, and Nicholas could feel every resolve he had ever made beginning to melt as Crystal approached where he stood. As she walked gracefully past him, a sensation flowed through him, a sensation that made him want to fall onto his knees and simply admire her from the very place that he was. He controlled himself, however, and watched as she stopped in front of the supreme chancellor.

Crystal turned to face her audience, and the supreme chancellor gave a great speech on the responsibilities of a queen. He spoke for a good ten minutes before he turned to Chancellor Arin. Chancellor Arin gave him a small box, and the supreme chancellor turned back to Crystal. She knelt gracefully before him, and he lifted her crown out of the box and placed it gently on her head. She was signaled to arise, and she did so, turning to face the audience again. The people of Yavin all had pleased smiles on their faces as they saw their beautiful queen with the crown on her head. The crown was an intricate headband tiara. It was in the shape of a "V" with the point of the V being low on Crystal's forehead. The crown was made of gold and had diamonds and an intricate design across the sides. The point of the V had a green gem with diamonds surrounding it.

"Behold your queen, Queen Crystal of Yavin!" The supreme chancellor called, and everyone began to cheer.

Crystal raised her hand graciously for silence, and immediately the crowd became quiet.

"As queen, there are certain friendships that I wish to establish with certain other galactic systems. Queen Jamilia of Naboo was unable to be here, however, she sent one of Naboo's senators, Senator Padme Amidala, in her stead. Senator Amidala," Crystal said, turning to face Padme, "may Yavin have Naboo's friendship? May our two systems become allies, to come to each other's needs when necessary and to always be on peaceful terms with each other?"

Padme stood up and very seriously nodded her head in respect. "You have Naboo's alliance."

"And you, Senator Organa of Alderaan, does Yavin have Alderaan's alliance?"

"Yes, your majesty," Senator Organa bowed.

"There is one last alliance that I wish to make. Jedi masters and knights, does Yavin have your alliance as well?"

Yoda nodded to the men that were with him, and all of the Jedi stepped forward towards the new queen.

"You have our devoted loyalty, your majesty. If ever you need us, you have only to tell us and we will come to your aid," Mace Windu said for them all as they each knelt respectfully on one knee before her.

Tears blurred Crystal's sight as a sense of indescribable peace came over her. They were pledging their loyalty to her, knowing that she was the Undefeatable Jedi and that she personally was to be protected. It made her feel so wanted, and she stepped close to them.

"Thank you, my brothers," she whispered, and all of the Jedi nodded their heads with acknowledgment.

"Thank you all for your systems' alliance, Senator Amidala and Senator Organa. If ever Naboo or Alderaan is in need of aid, Yavin will assist," Crystal smiled to the audience again. "Thank you all for being here."

She turned and left the room through another doorway, and the people remained standing attentively.

"You are all dismissed. If you will please make your way to the palace garden, there will be refreshments. This evening there will be a great celebration in honor of the new queen," the supreme chancellor announced, and everyone began to converse amongst themselves and leave the throne room.

Obi Wan and Nicholas followed the crowd from a short distance away, and Nicholas asked, "Master Obi Wan, will her majesty be joining us for the reception?"

"No," Obi Wan said, shaking his head. "She is being prepared for the evening celebration, no doubt."

"Somehow, I always knew she was a queen," Nicholas said thoughtfully.

"Oh?"

"Yes. She always had power, even amongst the children on Alderaan. They all treated her with great respect, and she is naturally a very dignified and noble woman. It only makes sense that she is the queen."

"She is not happy about it, however, is she?" Obi Wan asked with some concern.

"No sir, she is not. She would rather be with us, keeping the peace."

"Perhaps sometime while we are here, you will be able to have a small lightsaber duel with her of sorts. Perhaps the action will make her feel better," Obi Wan suggested.

"I will speak to her about that this evening, if it is possible," Nicholas nodded.

Evening came quickly, and the entire palace garden was aglow with candles and starlight as the guests began to arrive. Great tables of food were prepared, and everyone stood about speaking with each other as servants rushed to and fro to show them where they would be seated. Senator Amidala, Senator Organa and the Jedi were given several seats of honor at the same table as the one the queen would be sitting at. Her place was decorated with the purple roses, and only the finest, most choice dishes and silverware were placed at the tables for everyone's use.

Crystal arrived a few moments after the guest, and she was announced as was proper for the queen. She was dressed in a silk brown dress and over it was a sheer cape of sorts with intricate gold and light purple swirls on it. Most of her hair was pinned at the back of her head, but several curls had been left down, and she wore her crown, which she would now always have to wear.

After the queen was announced, everyone began to get their food, and Crystal began to intermingle with her guests. Nicholas watched her with envy as she moved from one group of beings to the other. He wanted her to be with him, to never leave his side. Crystal could feel his desires as she walked about, and she longed to obey his wishes, but she knew that it was impossible that she should, and she tried to avoid him. Several minutes passed before Nicholas stepped over to her and bowed respectfully.

"My lady, a few words with you, if you please?"

He offered her his arm, and she took it, gazing up at his handsome face expectantly.

"What can I do for you, good sir?"

"You can allow me to seat you. The servants are prepared to serve your ladyship now."

Crystal nodded and walked with him towards the table.

"You changed your clothes," she commented.

"I did. I realized that my Tatooine garb might be offensive to Senator Organa, as well as several others, so I am back in my black uniform now. Master Obi Wan suggested that I have a small lightsaber duel with you sometime before we leave, to lift your spirits a bit and keep you practiced."

"That is a wise suggestion. Tonight, perhaps, after the ceremony?" Crystal asked as she was seated.

"Yes, your majesty," Nicholas nodded and then pushed her chair in.

He moved away from her as servants began to attend to her. Musicians were playing Crystal's new song, "The Gold-Tipped Rose of Yavin," and Nicholas felt very much at peace. He looked forward to his lightsaber duel with the queen.

When the celebration was over, Nicholas and Crystal met in one of the palace's conference rooms. Obi Wan accompanied Nicholas, not wanting the other Jedi masters to be concerned. "Is there enough room for a duel in here?" Obi Wan asked as he closed the door behind him.

"There is plenty of room," Crystal nodded, approaching them. She was dressed in a black jumpsuit and had her lightsaber ready in hand. "I am ready when you are, Nicholas."

Nicholas nodded and drew his lightsaber, a small smile on his face as he took a few steps closer to her. "It has been a long time, Crystal."

"Indeed, it has been since I last taught you," Crystal said, and she and Nicholas ignited their lightsabers at the same time.

"I think I'll just stay out of the way and watch," Obi Wan chuckled as he moved to a safe corner of the room.

Five seconds later, the battle began. The hissing of lightsabers echoed throughout the room as the two blades constantly collided against each other. Both Nicholas and Crystal were fighting hard, Obi Wan noted as they ran and twirled throughout the room. Nicholas steadfastly pursued Crystal, pushing her away from him with each step. His strength became nearly unbearable, and Crystal flipped backwards away from his blade, trying to relieve some of the pressure.

"I suggest you practice some of your force skills as well!" Obi Wan shouted, and Nicholas nodded.

He used the force to shove Crystal's lightsaber out of her hands, and then she repeated his move. Both lightsabers were flung harmlessly out of reach, and before Crystal had a chance to call hers back to her, Nicholas lifted a large piece of furniture towards her and flung it at her. Crystal grabbed it in a force grip and threw it to the side. She flung herself at Nicholas, landing directly in front of him and throwing a kick at him. Nicholas flipped backwards away from her kick and then opened his palms towards her. He tried to push her back with the force, but she met his attack with her own upraised hands, and the two stood there, trying to push the other over with the force.

Obi Wan could feel his heart beating wildly with the intensity of the situation. Both young Jedi stood directly in front of each other, each pushing at the other with an unseen force hold. Sweat dripped down both of their foreheads, and their muscles were twitching violently as the minutes began to pass. Nicholas began to bend back a bit, trying to get a better stronghold, but Crystal continued to push at him. Nicholas' flexibility training came in handy as he bent almost completely back, still fighting. After a few seconds of standing in that position, he suddenly flung himself forward in an upright position, and Crystal, to his astonishment, was blown back from the power that he suddenly emitted. She lost her strength and was flung back into the wall. Nicholas immediately put his hands down and ran to her.

"Crystal, are you all right?" He gasped, offering her a hand. She took it shakily and then stood up, her eyes never leaving him.

"That was well done," she commented weakly as she stood up.

"Thank you," Nicholas smiled.

Crystal nodded her head and suddenly flung out her hands, causing him to fly into the opposite wall.

"You are welcome," she said as she approached him. "Have you had enough?"

Nicholas groaned and stood up from the floor, rubbing his back.

"Yes, I think so."

He looked up into her face to see a look of surprise there.

"What is the matter, Crystal?" he asked worriedly.

"Oh, nothing much," she said, changing the expression on her face quickly.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No, you didn't. That was enough practice for the night, I believe. Good night, gentlemen," Crystal said and called her lightsaber back to her. She put it back in its sheath and then glanced back at Nicholas before she hastily left the room.

"She seemed a bit bothered about something," Obi Wan said as he approached Nicholas.

"Yes, she did," Nicholas said, gazing at the door that Crystal had just gone through. "I wonder what could be troubling her?"

"She is probably just tired from the day's events, Nicholas," Obi Wan smiled.

"No," Nicholas said, shaking her head. "Master, I just was able to overpower the Undefeatable Jedi. I shouldn't be able to do that."

"I wouldn't worry about it much, Nicholas. She was just tired, I am sure," Obi Wan said, his forehead creasing as a look of complete concern came across Nicholas' face. "Nicholas, you must guard your feelings. If the Council was ever to know that they are beginning to become more and more powerful, you would be thrown out for sure."

Nicholas nodded his head. "I understand, Master."

"Come. It is late, and we must be getting some sleep as well. It has been determined that we are to stay tomorrow and leave the morning after. Crystal will be fine."

Nicholas lay in his bed that night, thinking about the battle he and Crystal had. It was strange, the way the whole fight had unfolded. He had felt a strange sensation flowing through him when he and Crystal had tried to use a force push against each other. Their energy had not slammed against each other, instead it had interlocked, somehow, and only after Nicholas had snapped forward had the lock been broken. There was more to his love for Crystal, he realized. There was something more powerful than any other relationship he had ever had.

Crystal awoke early the next morning after not having slept well. She pulled a bathrobe over her silken nightgown and stepped onto her balcony. The fresh air and the peace made her feel as if she was in a different world, a world where she was allowed to just be Crystal again and not some magnificent queen. She closed her eyes to absorb the morning fragrances and tranquility, and her eyes remained closed as she sensed another person approaching her.

"Good morning, my lady."

"Nicholas, you shouldn't be here," Crystal said quietly, opening her eyes and continuing to gaze at the ocean ahead.

"I wanted to be able to spend a bit of time with you before we leave," Nicholas said softly, standing next to her.

"You didn't sleep well," she noted without looking at him.

"Nor did you. What troubles you, Crystal?"

"Many things, Nicholas."

"Share them with me."

Crystal turned her head to look at him, a small smile on her lips. "I wouldn't want to cause you reason to trouble, Nicholas."

"You can't."

"Very well then. I was troubled by my weariness in the battle last night."

"You weren't weary," Nicholas said calmly.

"You were more powerful than I was," Crystal said quickly.

"If I am your weakness, then I might possibly have the strength to overpower you, since it would be difficult for you to harm me," Nicholas said thoughtfully.

"I wish you had never learned the truth."

"If you wish that because I am in misery, then don't wish that, Crystal. I chose to care for you. You were my trainer. I should not have let my feelings be anything more than that of a devoted student."

"What are you going to do when you return to Coruscant?" Crystal asked, changing the subject and gazing across the ocean where the first pink rays of the sun were becoming visible.

"I shall go wherever the masters command me to. We are trying to get more information about General Grievous and Count Dooku. I will probably be sent to spy on one of those."

"You must be careful," Crystal said quietly.

"Please, Crystal, speak your mind," Nicholas said gently, and Crystal looked up at him again.

"I wish that I could go with you."

"I wish you could always go with me, Crystal, but we cannot even be together often, much less work as a team."

"I know. Try and come back every now and then, Nicholas. I will miss you when you go."

Crystal's voice was sincere, and Nicholas bowed before her.

"I will come as often as I can. I will come again tomorrow morning."

"Thank you," Crystal said as Nicholas walked away from her and climbed quickly up the palace wall to the next floor.

Crystal spent the day visiting with her guests. She spent most of the time with Padme and Anakin, speaking with the senator about political issues as well as regular life. The hours that the two women spent together were enlightening for both of them, and each felt, as Crystal left, that they would remain good friends with the other.

The next morning came, and Nicholas was on Crystal's balcony as she stepped outside.

"Do you always rise so early?" Nicholas asked, not looking at her as she stepped gracefully next to him.

"Yes, I must. There is so much that has to be done every day that I must start the day early. I am able to see every sunrise, however, and it makes me feel at peace. When do you leave?"

"In three hours."

Nicholas would not look at Crystal, and she could feel the turmoil raging within him. There were feelings of love and desire colliding together, but above all else was the feeling of honor and commitment. He would not leave the Jedi Order and so he refused to look at her, determined to keep his priorities in the appropriate order.

"You must keep up your training, Nicholas. Learn everything that you can, and take advantage of every learning opportunity that comes your way," Crystal said calmly, an ocean breeze causing her hair to wave about her as she spoke.

Nicholas turned quickly to look at her. "Is that all you have to say? I wish for words of comfort, Crystal. Words that you will always remember me. Even if we can never be together, promise you won't forget me."

Tears began to form in Crystal's eyes as she gazed up at him, trying to find the words to say.

"I won't ever forget you, Nicholas. I can't. Surely you can see that now."

"Crystal, I want so much for us to be more! The Jedi trials that I must face in the future would be much easier for me to bear with you by my side, with the two of us working together!"

"You have Master Obi Wan," Crystal said, putting her hand on his arm. "You must make him proud. He loves you like a son, Nicholas. I know he doesn't want you to be unhappy, but you must do what is right."

"Master Obi Wan and I could not make nearly as perfect a team as you and I could," Nicholas said, gazing down at her with intensity in his dark eyes. "Vanisher and the Undefeatable Jedi would make the perfect team."

"Perhaps one day, Nicholas, we shall be able to work together. As for now, I am a queen and you are a Jedi knight who is committed to not forming attachments."

Nicholas nodded his head slowly and then gazed at the ocean.

"I must go. If you ever need me, let me know. I will come as quickly as I can."

He pulled away from her, a small smile on his face.

"The Undefeatable Jedi and the Queen of Yavin. When will you cease to amaze me, Crystal?"

"For your sake, Nicholas, hopefully soon," Crystal sighed as he began to walk towards the wall.

"Good-bye, Crystal," Nicholas said, turning his head one last time to look at her.

"Good bye, Nicholas," she whispered as he climbed up the wall and then disappeared from sight.

The morning passed with the roaring of engines and the screaming of aircraft as the guests began to leave. Crystal stood quietly on the palace grounds, waving to the planes as they left. She was standing there when the Jedi from Coruscant stepped out of the palace and began to walk towards their ship. Obi Wan and Anakin walked to Crystal, a sad smile on the master's face.

"We will greatly miss you, Crystal," Obi Wan said, shaking her hand.

"And I will miss all of you. Take good care of yourself, Obi Wan. The same for you, Anakin," Crystal nodded politely.

"We will keep in contact with you, your majesty," Anakin said, bowing before he went back to where Padme stood waiting.

"Will you be well, Crystal?" Obi Wan asked with concern as Nicholas stepped out of the palace and began to move quickly towards his X-Wing.

"Yes," Crystal said, taking a deep breath and standing up taller. "I shall be quite well. May the force be with you, Obi Wan."

"May the force be with you, Crystal."

Obi Wan turned and began to walk towards his ship.

All of the ships carrying the Jedi left in a matter of minutes, and the only one left behind was Nicholas' X-Wing. He had volunteered to be the last one to leave to insure the safety of everyone else. He stood quietly outside of his fighter, his helmet in his gloved hands. As soon as the last Jedi ship left, his turned his head slightly to take one last look at Crystal. He caught her eye, and she gazed into his.

His eyes burned into her as he told her silently, "I won't forget you, and I will never stop caring for you."

Crystal turned her head to the side, and Nicholas climbed up into his ship. Even as the X-Wing's engines began to scream to life and the fighter began to lift into the air, he watched Crystal. He gazed at her until he could look no longer.


	12. The Forming of a Friendship

**Thank you very, very much to everyone who's been reviewing! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy, and please continue to let me know what you think!**

**Chapter Twelve: The Forming of a Friendship**

"Your majesty! Your majesty!"

Crystal leaned forward a bit more on her throne as one of the senators ran towards her.

"What is it, Senator Terron?"

The senator gasped a bit before he finally was able to speak. "Coruscant…Coruscant…"

"What about Coruscant?" Crystal asked, standing up.

"Has had another assassination attempt!"

"On whom?" Crystal asked calmly.

"It was either on Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo or on Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker."

"The senator? Who planned the attack?"

"No one seems to know. All of Coruscant is in an uproar now, and Master Obi Wan Kenobi sent the news to you."

"Get me direct contact to Master Obi Wan in the meeting room," Crystal ordered, stepping away from her throne and beginning to move towards another room.

"Yes your majesty."

Crystal stood calmly in the meeting room that overlooked the ocean. It had been several months since her coronation as queen, and she had heard no news from Coruscant. She had hoped that the first news she would hear would be good, but as the hologram of Obi Wan began to appear, her hopes were vanquished.

"Crystal, it is so good to see you again!" Obi Wan declared.

"What has happened, Obi Wan?" Crystal asked.

"Last night an attempt was made on either Padme or Anakin. No one can tell who was being attacked at this time. Nicholas has been sent to find the assassin."

"What is being done about Padme and Anakin?"

"They are staying together. Anakin was able to protect her last night. Some type of heavily armored droids went into her chambers last night, and were it not for Anakin's combat and cries for help, all might have been lost."

"Where are Padme and Anakin staying?"

"In Coruscant."

"You must send Senator Amidala here. No one will know where she is, and she will be well protected. Do not send her to Naboo. That would be one of the first places the assassins would go. Send Anakin to help Nicholas. It seems the assassins are too clever to be found by just one person."

Obi Wan nodded. "I will tell Senator Amidala what you suggested. Should I tell the Supreme Chancellor?"

"No. He is the last person that needs to know where she is going," Crystal said quickly.

"I will inform you of what Senator Amidala's decision is after I have spoken to her. Good day, Crystal," Obi Wan said a bit uncertainly.

"Good day."

A short while passed before Obi Wan's hologram appeared again. Crystal was eating her dinner as the image appeared.

"Good evening, Crystal. I hope I am not disturbing you."

"No, actually. Tonight, for the first night in ever so long, I am eating alone. Will Senator Amidala be coming here?"

"Yes. She has already left Coruscant and is traveling towards Yavin. She should be there a little before midnight. I apologize for the short notice, but as soon as it was decided she would leave Coruscant, everyone began to rush to get her prepared for departure."

"Who is traveling with her?"

"Anakin, her astromech droid, Anakin's droid, and her main guards," Obi Wan said.

"Good. I will report back to you later tonight when Padme is here," Crystal said easily.

"Thank you, Crystal."

As soon as the hologram had faded, Crystal called for one of her servants.

"Please send Chancellor Arin and Senator Eleanor here," she said calmly. "I wish to see them."

"Yes, your majesty," the servant bowed and then hastily left the room.

When the senators arrived in the dining room, they found Crystal drinking quietly from one of her glasses. She put the glass down and smiled at them, gesturing for them to be seated.

"Thank you for coming so quickly and at such an hour of the night. I have called you here because Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo will be arriving here in an hour or so. She will be here for protection and comfort. No one on Yavin, except for the three of us and our most trusted guards, must know that she is here. She will be bringing her best guards with her."

"I will send Torin to prepare an apartment for her, my lady. Where do you wish her to stay?" Chancellor Arin asked.

"She will stay in the rooms directly next to my own. I want her to be where the security is the heaviest and where I can help her, if need be, as well," Crystal said.

"Yes, your majesty. Shall we send the strongest security guards to meet her?"

"Yes, and I will meet her when she arrives as well. Go quickly please, my dear friends."

"Yes, your majesty," both politicians said as they stood up and quickly left the room.

When Senator Amidala's spacecraft landed shortly before midnight, accompanied by two security fighters and Anakin's fighter, Crystal and her guards were ready. Crystal had dressed herself in a simple jumpsuit, in case of an unexpected attack of some sort, and she stood in front of the landing pad, ten guards standing respectfully behind her. As soon as the ships landed, almost everyone exited their craft before Padme and three guards walked off her ship's ramp.

"Good evening, your majesty," Padme bowed politely as she approached Crystal.

"Good evening, Senator. Guards, you will accompany us to the senator's apartments. Anakin, you and the droids will come as well," Crystal spoke.

The guards immediately moved into formation around the senator and queen, and Anakin stepped into place next to Padme.

"I hope that you will find your suite suitable," Crystal commented as they entered the palace.

"I am sure that I will. Thank you for inviting me to your home for safety," Padme said gently.

"You are most welcome. You will be staying directly next to my rooms and will be, of course, heavily protected," Crystal said as they walked up a great staircase and neared the queen's apartment.

As soon as the group arrived at Padme's apartment door, Crystal ordered her guards to go back to their normal stations, and Padme commanded most of her guards to go back to the ships and prepare for leaving.

"Let me show you your rooms quickly, Senator Amidala," Crystal said, opening the senator's door and leading her and Anakin inside. "The guards will be able to study each detail of it in a moment. I wanted to speak with the both of you first," Crystal said, closing the door gently behind her. As soon as the door was completely shut, she let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, I can be human for a moment!" she smiled. "I can assure you, Anakin, that Senator Amidala will have the greatest protection that Yavin can offer. My best guards surround these rooms, and I know the senator's best will remain here as well. You have nothing to worry about, and it would do Master Obi Wan and the other masters good to hear that she is well protected," Crystal said.

"Of course, your majesty," Anakin nodded.

"Now then, I will leave you for just a moment, and then the guards will come in and I will show them everything they need to know about these rooms. You have about a minute to say your farewells," Crystal said, walking quickly towards the door and then leaving the room.

"She knows," Anakin said quietly as the door was closed behind the queen.

"Yes she does, otherwise she would not have given us a moment alone," Padme nodded.

"You are amongst good friends here, and the Undefeatable Jedi herself will be watching out for you. I will come back to you as soon as I can," Anakin said, putting his hands on Padme's shoulders.

"I know, Anakin. I will miss you so," Padme sighed, wrapping her arms around him.

One minute later, Crystal and the guards reentered the room and Crystal showed them everything they needed to know about Padme's suite. There was a door that had been inserted specifically for Padme's use. It connected Padme's room to Crystal's, in case of any emergencies. After the guards were satisfied with the tour, they turned to leave, and Anakin turned away from Padme with concern.

"_You needn't fear, Anakin,"_ he could hear inside his mind as he glanced back one more time at Padme before stepping out of the room. _"She is in good hands."_

"My two handmaids, Rose and Emma, will assist you while you stay here," Crystal said presently, breaking the silence.

"But what about you, your majesty?" Padme asked, gazing at the beautiful queen.

"I am only Crystal to you, Senator, and while you are here, I have a good excuse to be able to dress myself for a short while," Crystal smiled. "For now, however, it is late, and you must be tired from the day's events. I will leave you. I will send my handmaids to you tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Crystal. If I must call you Crystal, than I insist that you call me Padme. Your generosity is overwhelming."

Crystal smiled and nodded her head. "I will do that, Padme. You are invited to dine with me tomorrow morning. I want to become friends, not merely diplomatic allies."

Padme smiled as Crystal turned and left the room. She had long wanted to get to know Crystal better, and now was her chance.

Morning came quickly, and Padme entered the palace's exquisite dining room to see Crystal already seated at the table.

"I apologize if I am late," Padme said as she neared Crystal.

"You aren't late at all. I already was at two hearings this morning, and I thought I would get here a little earlier than I believed you would," Crystal smiled pleasantly as she gestured for Padme to sit down.

Once seated, the women were served breakfast.

"Come now, Padme. What is it that you wish to ask?" Crystal asked presently, having sensed great curiosity in the senator.

"I may as well come down to it, Crystal. How do you know that Anakin and I…Anakin and I…"

"Are in love, and not only that, but you are married?" Crystal asked easily as she cut a piece of fruit.

"Yes," Padme said with amazement.

"I was on Geonosis when you were," Crystal shrugged. "I had been there for about a week, spying, when Master Obi Wan was captured, and then you and Anakin followed. It was there that I learned about the space station. I was disguised as one of Nute Gunray's guards, and I saw what happened betwixt you and Anakin in the tunnel before you were brought out into the arena for execution."

"But how did you know we were married?" Padme asked.

"In that tunnel, you committed yourselves to each other. I was positive that you and Anakin would have an official wedding later, but you really became married in that tunnel."

"Why have you not told the Jedi Council?"

Crystal looked into Padme's eyes, her eyes glowing brilliantly. "Because I understand that what you did was personal and natural. I don't believe that it was correct, but I have no business telling the Council about your decisions."

"You somehow understand," Padme reveled, and Crystal frowned.

"I never said that."

"You love Nicholas," Padme mused.

"Padme…"

"I saw what happened at the landing platform before you left Coruscant, Crystal. You truly care for each other."

"Nothing can come of it," Crystal said sadly. "Neither of us will go against the orders of the Council."

"Then you are truly strong," Padme said quietly.

"Is there anything you wish to see or do while you are here, Padme?" Crystal asked abruptly, changing the subject.

"I would like to see the land. From space, it looks beautiful," Padme smiled.

"That sounds wonderful. You are very safe within the palace walls, but you will be even more so, and more comfortable, at my country home. It is right next to the greatest waterfalls in all of Yavin, and beautiful open fields surround it," Crystal said.

"It sounds like my home in the lake country," Padme commented.

"They do sound similar," Crystal nodded. "After breakfast, then, I will have the servants prepare our things for departure. You may wish to change into some lighter clothes. It is very warm here."

"I will do that," Padme smiled.

As soon as Crystal and Padme's belongings had been placed in a small transportation vehicle, the two women seated themselves, accompanied by Rose, Emma, Padme's handmaiden Dorma, and eight different guards.

"Won't the people of your kingdom miss you during your absence?" Padme asked as the vehicle began to move away from the palace.

"Not necessarily. The senators have agreed to let me go somewhere safer with you for the time being. They are considering this to be a political mission for me. If I am ever truly needed, they have many ways to contact me just as I have many ways to contact them," Crystal smiled. "I have been fulfilling my duties as queen for the past several months now, and a small business trip of sorts would do me well."

"Of course. I understand," Padme nodded.

Thirty minutes passed before the vehicle began to near a great wall of beautiful, rushing deep blue water.

"That is quite an exquisite waterfall," Padme commented as the vehicle drew ever closer to it.

"Isn't it? It is a very good disguise," Crystal said.

"Disguise?" Padme asked.

"Yes. We have to go through the waterfall in order to get to my country home. There is a system of tunnels behind the waterfall that is perfect for hiding in if necessary. This waterfall is tiny compared to the ones on the other side of the tunnels," Crystal said excitedly.

She watched with genuine pleasure as the vehicle became immersed in the water and then came out a few seconds later into a bright cave, illuminated by the sunlight that was shining through another curtain of pounding water on the other side.

As soon as the transportation vehicle passed through the second curtain of water, Crystal turned in her seat and gestured for Padme to do the same. It became visible to all occupants of the vehicle that the seemingly small curtain of water was actually a very small part of a huge row of extremely tall, beautiful waterfalls that stretched out almost as far as they could see from their position.

"It is difficult to believe we just came through there. Yavin truly is beautiful, Crystal. Each part of it is so different from the last. From your palace all you can see is trees and houses with the ocean in the distance. But here you have lovely open fields and powerful waterfalls! How marvelous to be queen of such a place!"

"I know I take it for granted sometimes, but you are right, Padme. This place is beautiful," Crystal smiled. "There is my home, ahead of us."

The country home was located very near to the edge of the water, and it was made of white marble. Large open windows decorated each wall of the exquisite house, and marble pillars graced the large balconies that enveloped it. Vines crept up every pillar and railing, and gold-tipped purple roses blossomed from the vines. The house was surrounded by large open meadows, and everything about the place told of peace and serenity.

"This is my favorite place in all of Yavin," Crystal smiled as she stepped out of the vehicle.

"It is clear to see why," Padme said as they walked into the house, servants holding the doors open for them.

"This is my home. Here I feel at peace, as though everything in the galaxy is well," Crystal said as she led Padme to a beautifully decorated door. "This will be your room, Padme. I do hope you will find it suitable," Crystal said as a servant carried Padme's luggage into her room.

"I am sure that I will find it suitable, thank you," Padme smiled.

"I will be right down the hall there," Crystal pointed, and Padme nodded.

"Crystal, thank you so much for bringing me here. I was very unwilling to leave Coruscant, but I am so happy to be here."

"You are very welcome," Crystal smiled. "I am going to get changed into something more comfortable. I will see you in a few minutes."

The days began to pass quickly, and as they did so, Crystal and Padme became great friends. They spent the days outside in the meadows, in the water, in the tunnels between the waterfalls, or in the house baking or conversing. Crystal spent every evening alone on one of the house's balconies, looking at the great waterfalls that stood a short distance away. Padme often noticed her standing there and was saddened by the sight of the great queen, the Undefeatable Jedi, standing there alone.

The next month came, bringing with it an unexpected visitor. Padme and Crystal were sitting by the water's edge when they suddenly heard the roaring of engines approaching.

"What could that be?" Padme asked with some concern as she and Crystal stood up.

"I am not sure. It sounds like a fighter," Crystal said, drawing her lightsaber from its hidden place in her gown. "Stay down," she ordered as she tried to sense who was on the approaching spacecraft.

A large form suddenly appeared over the waterfalls, a great yellow fighter with an astromech droid positioned comfortably atop the wing.

"It's Anakin!" Padme cried out, and Crystal immediately put her lightsaber away.

"So it is. Let's not keep him waiting," Crystal grinned, offering her hand to Padme.

Padme took her hand, and Crystal pulled her up. The two lifted up their skirts a bit and then ran towards the house.

When the two arrived, Anakin was standing on the front balcony, his back turned towards them as he surveyed the beauty that surrounded him.

"Anakin!" Padme shouted, and Anakin immediately turned around and opened his arms to his wife.

"It's been so long," he whispered as he embraced her and then looked over her shoulder to see Crystal standing quietly a short distance away. "Thank you for keeping her here, Crystal. I don't believe I've ever seen her so…flushed!" Anakin exclaimed, looking at Padme's rosy cheeks and shining eyes.

"I don't know if that has to do with her staying here or with you returning," Crystal smiled. "Was your mission successful, Anakin?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"You found the assassins?" Padme asked, pulling away from him a bit.

"No, actually. Nicholas found out who the assassins are, but we were unable to get them. The assassins were General Grievous, a six-armed droid, and Nute Gunray and his crew," Anakin said. "You needn't worry about it though. We will soon take care of them."

"Where is Nicholas?" Padme asked, glancing at Crystal with compassion.

"He didn't come. He told me to give his greetings to you, however," Anakin said, looking into Crystal's eyes for a moment before he returned his attention back to Padme.

Crystal stepped onto her balcony that evening with many thoughts flowing through her mind. The sun was just visible, setting above the waterfalls, and a slight breeze was blowing, carrying with it the scent of roses and jostling Crystal's long hair. The young queen was distraught as she stood at the balcony railing, the last rays from the sun glinting off her crown and illuminating her hair. It was wrong to have any thoughts of Nicholas, wrong to wish that things could have been different between them. He was a Jedi knight, incapable of being committed to her, and she was the Undefeatable Jedi, powerful above all others and strongest when her weakness was not with her. Still, she missed him and wished for things that could have been. She envied Padme a bit. True, Anakin should not have married her to begin with, but they seemed so happy when they were together. It was something that Crystal sorely wanted for herself.

"Harder than you thought it would be, isn't it?"

Crystal gasped and spun around violently to see Nicholas leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Anakin said you didn't come!" she exclaimed as he stepped towards her.

"Not when he did, no. I wanted to see all that I could of your land, so I took the transportation vehicle. Why? Were you hoping I would come?"

"Was I?" Crystal asked, turning away from him and looking at the waterfalls.

"It's no use trying to hide it, Crystal. I can see right through you. It seems that the longer I am gone, the better I can see your thoughts. They are as clear as glass to me now. You were just wishing that I was here, and so, here I am," Nicholas said quietly.

"But you shouldn't be! Now I will be worse off than I was before!" Crystal said quickly.

"I won't be here long, Crystal. I wanted to see you again, though. How are you? Is all well?"

"All is as well as can be expected," Crystal sighed.

"What have you heard about politics recently?" Nicholas asked.

"I know you don't want to talk about politics, for just as you can see through me, I can see through you," Crystal said, turning to face him.

"This isn't right," Nicholas frowned, moving next to her. "We can see each other's thoughts perfectly, we get along perfectly, and we are both powerful Jedi, and yet we can never be together, never be closer."

"That is the way our lives were meant to be," Crystal sighed.

"Well, while I'm here, I'm going to pretend I'm not a Jedi for a little while. I'm here for a short vacation, and I intend to enjoy it. I'm not asking for you to fulfill your wants or mine, but we can at least enjoy the little bit of time we have together. Master Obi Wan is here as well, and he wants me to rest a bit and enjoy myself. Would you help me, Crystal? Can we pretend for a short while that we aren't Jedi and just have fun as friends?"

"As friends and nothing more," Crystal said firmly.

"Yes," Nicholas nodded.

"I am willing to enjoy my time with you, Anakin, Obi Wan, and Padme, Nicholas, so long as you promise to help me. Don't let me give in to my weakness, Nicholas, and don't give in to yours," Crystal said, looking deep into his eyes, a look of complete sadness in hers.

"I promise," Nicholas said, holding out his hand.

She shook it and then moved towards the doorway. "I am going to say hello to Obi Wan now, Nicholas."

Nicholas nodded and watched her go, trying to subdue the wants that were raging within him.

The following morning came, and the Jedi knights, queen, and Naboo senator sat together in the house's large dining room to enjoy breakfast.

"I trust that all of you slept well last night?" Crystal asked as a servant poured some juice into her glass.

"Yes, thank you," Obi Wan said with a nod.

"The pounding of the waterfalls is a very comforting sound to fall asleep with," Nicholas said quietly, and Obi Wan looked at him worriedly.

"You fell asleep on the balcony last night, Nicholas. Are you well?"

"Well enough," Nicholas nodded.

"What do you wish to do today?" Crystal asked.

"Oh Crystal, we simply must show them the hidden tunnels!" Padme exclaimed with delight.

"Hidden tunnels?" Nicholas asked, his eyes shining.

"Yes, right behind the waterfalls!"

"Very well. I suppose that would be enjoyable," Crystal smiled.

Obi Wan found Nicholas standing quietly on his balcony a short while later. The young man had his back turned towards the master, his hands clasped together behind him.

"What is troubling you, Nicholas?" Obi Wan asked, approaching him quietly.

"My inner thoughts, Master," Nicholas said, his voice sounding far away. "I can't stop thinking about her. Even on Coruscant, I couldn't stop. I missed her presence, missed her face."

"You are with her now," Obi Wan tried to comfort.

"Yes, but only as a friend. I can never be anything more to her," Nicholas said, turning around. "Is it truly wrong to care for her so?"

"It is not wrong to care for Crystal. What is wrong is for you to form an attachment to her. She is the Undefeatable Jedi, Nicholas. If you were to be with her all the time, she would always be weak and susceptible. We could not afford that," Obi Wan said gently, putting his hand on Nicholas' shoulder. "It is for the good of both of you that you must remain separated and distant, as well as for the benefit of the entire galaxy."

"Is the Council certain about that?"

Obi Wan took his hand off Nicholas' shoulder worriedly. "Of course. All attachment is forbidden, Nicholas."

"But what would happen if Crystal and her weakness joined forces? Couldn't she be even more powerful than she already is?" Nicholas asked.

Obi Wan opened his mouth to answer, but found that there was no suitable answer for Nicholas' questions.

"No one really seems to know," Nicholas said, seeing Obi Wan's thoughts. "I alone can see Crystal's thoughts, Obi Wan. Perhaps that would be an asset to the Jedi."

"You can see her thoughts?" Obi Wan asked.

"Yes sir. She cannot hide them from me anymore. When I saw her last night I realized that. I could see everything she was thinking. I've grown stronger since she has been gone…so much so that I can see her feelings and her thoughts."

"Nicholas, I don't know everything, but for now, you must be satisfied that you are merely friends," Obi Wan said with a small smile. "Now come. The others will be expecting us, and it would be quite an experience to see the tunnels."

The day passed pleasantly enough, but both Crystal and Nicholas knew, as they spent time with each other, that friendship was not satisfactory. Crystal could feel Nicholas' love flowing through her as she walked through the caves. She could feel his overwhelming admiration as they sat eating in one of the fields. What frightened her a bit was that he could see perfectly through her. He knew that she longed to be with him, knew that she looked on him with the same admiration with which he looked at her.

Three days passed, and for every sunrise and every sunset, Nicholas was with Crystal. They stood together on her balcony, watching the sun. Never did they touch each other, hardly did they speak a word, but they became absorbed in each other's feelings, the feelings of want and pain.

The day before Anakin, Nicholas, Obi Wan and Padme were to return to Coruscant finally arrived. Nicholas met Crystal early in the morning, and she could sense, as he approached her, that he was greatly disturbed.

"Today will be our last day together," he said unhappily. "Master Obi Wan will be going to the palace to make sure that everything is prepared for our departure."

"Be at peace, Nicholas. Don't be so upset," Crystal smiled sadly.

"I cannot help but be upset. It feels as though I will lose you forever," Nicholas said, reaching out and putting his hand on her cheek.

She lowered her head in response to his touch and then looked back up at him with tears in her eyes. "So it must be, Nicholas."

"I cannot leave you," Nicholas whispered and then drew her into a hug.

She leaned against him, squeezing her eyes shut tightly against his shirt. "I am losing such a great part of me," she gasped as she cried.

"You know what I would like to do today?" Nicholas whispered, and Crystal looked up at him.

"What?"

"I want to go to that field right next to the waterfalls again with you. Anakin and Padme will be in the tunnels today. I want to spend my last day with you in my favorite place on Yavin."

"I think we can arrange that," Crystal said, pulling away from him.

"We will have our lunch at the field then," Nicholas said with a small smile.

After Crystal and Nicholas finished their meal that afternoon, Crystal picked wildflowers quietly while Nicholas lay in the grass, gazing at the sky.

"I never realized that being a Jedi would be so hard," he commented as a slight breeze ruffled his black shirt a bit.

"It hasn't been too difficult for you. You were already so talented when you started," Crystal said, not looking up from her flowers.

"The part about commitment is the hardest. I didn't think I would loathe the part about forbidden attachments as much as I do," Nicholas said, leaning on his elbow as he gazed at Crystal.

Her long hair was down, and she was dressed in a light blue sparkling dress, her crown glittering gloriously in the sunlight.

"I haven't much I can say," Crystal said, and then turned to look at him. "I suppose the best I can do is give you a small gift. Here, take this." She held a purple gold-tipped rose out to him. "Honor is a path in life that cannot be avoided. When you see this rose, think of me and the good times that we have had."

Nicholas took it from her and nodded. "Very well, my lady, although I could not ever forget you."

Crystal watched quietly as the last fighter plane from Coruscant left the palace the next morning. Anakin had left first, and then Obi Wan, followed by Padme's star fighter and two escorts. Nicholas had gone last, leaving behind one last, loving smile for her.

Several hours of silent reflection passed before Crystal heard an urgent knock on her bedroom door.

"Who is it?"

"Senator Eleanor, my lady!"

The senator's usually calm voice reflected great distress, and Crystal immediately went to the door and opened it.

"What is it, Senator Eleanor?"

"You have several messages coming to you from the communication room, my lady. It seems there has been an attack!"

"An attack! Where?" Crystal asked, stepping out into the corridor and rushing towards the communication room.

"In space! There was an attack involving Senator Amidala! I fear that the worst has happened!" Senator Eleanor exclaimed as the young queen burst into the communication room and took a seat next to Chancellor Arin.

Many voices were speaking at once, but one voice in particular caught Crystal's attention.

"Captain Nicholas! What is the matter?" she asked, standing next to the radio that was revealing Nicholas' voice.

"We just had an attack on Padme's star fighter! It was captured, and the two escort fighters were destroyed!"

"Where are you now?" Crystal asked worriedly.

"Following the assault fighters. Don't worry. They haven't seen me yet."

"Who are the attackers?"

"I am not sure yet, but I have my suspicions about where they are bringing Padme."

"Where do you think they are bringing her?"

There was a slight pause on the other end of the line before Nicholas said, "Tatooine."

"Why would they be bringing her there?" Crystal asked, confused.

"I'm not sure yet, but I already contacted the Jedi Council, and I will contact you as soon as I am certain about their whereabouts. I'll get back with you in a little while, and don't worry."

Nicholas turned off his communication system, and Crystal began to pace the room worriedly.

"It will be several hours before he contacts again," one of the officers said, and Crystal turned to look at him.

"I will stay here until he calls back."

"If you wish, your majesty."

Four hours passed before the radios finally came alive again, Nicholas' voice coming in clearly.

"Queen Crystal?"

"I am here. Where is Padme?" Crystal asked, rushing to the radio.

"She was taken to Jabba the Hutt's palace."

"Jabba's palace? That is strange!" Crystal exclaimed.

"Yes, it is."

"Who took her there, and why was she taken?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm on my way back to Coruscant to have a meeting about what to do."

"I will be there," Crystal said firmly.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea…" Nicholas began, but Crystal cut him off.

"If I don't know what is to be done and do something about it, I will be responsible for her capture."

"I wouldn't go that far," Nicholas said quickly.

"I will see you in a few hours, Captain," Crystal said and then turned and left the room hastily.

The Jedi Council came together four hours later, everyone concerned as they took their seats. Nicholas sat next to Anakin, and he could feel his friend's anxiety rippling through his body as noticeably as a sandstorm whipping through Tatooine. Everyone was silent for several moments before Mace Windu stood up, his face tight and hard.

"More forces are at work in the capture of Senator Amidala than is physically evident, I believe we all realize," he said, gazing at each Jedi in turn as he spoke. "Due to Nicholas' research, she is in the hands of a certain crime lord named Jabba the Hutt. A crime lord would not usually make such an attack, causing us to assume that dark forces were behind it. The Trade Federation, perhaps, or Count Dooku, or maybe even both of our enemies might have their hands in the matter. Now we me discuss what to do about it."

"At least one of us must go to Tatooine," Obi Wan said thoughtfully from his seat next to Yoda.

"One who knows the smuggler well," Yoda commented, looking at Nicholas.

"It would be difficult for me to deal with Jabba," Nicholas said, folding his hands together and sitting back in his seat. "We were friends, I am almost ashamed to say, at one time, and he may not take me seriously."

"Anakin cannot go. His last visit to Tatooine was harmful," Mace Windu spoke for them all.

"I could go, perhaps, but I know little about Tatooine's culture."

"Send me," a soft voice said from the entrance to the room, and all heads turned to see Crystal approaching them, clothed in a gown that matched her coloring perfectly.

"We cannot send you," Nicholas said abruptly, not giving the masters a chance to speak. "You are the queen. It would be too dangerous for you to be amongst Jabba and his crew."

The Jedi stood up respectfully as Crystal took her place next to Nicholas, gazing up at him with a determined look in her eyes.

"You cannot go because he knows you too well. I can go because I know how to disguise myself appropriately, I can weave easily in and out of crowds, and I am the Undefeatable Jedi."

"About those points…" Nicholas said calmly. "Your majesty, you have never had to disguise yourself in the way that you have to for Jabba's palace, your grace and swiftness in moving throughout crowds would be far too noticeable amongst Jabba's scum, and because you _are_ the Undefeatable Jedi and a queen, you must be protected, not thrown into the midst of smugglers and ruffians. I know these people. I lived at the palace for several years," Nicholas said.

"She may be our best option for who is to go, Nicholas. Master Obi Wan, perhaps, could go," Mace Windu said, looking at Obi Wan.

"Not alone," Obi Wan said, looking at Nicholas and Crystal carefully.

"I will go in disguise and help Senator Amidala escape from the palace. Once outside, Obi Wan, you can retrieve us and bring us back here," Crystal said calmly.

"Nicholas, you wish to speak," Yoda noted and Nicholas nodded.

"Jabba's palace is too dangerous for a queen, and besides, I think we have failed to realize the true plot behind this capture. Why would a senator be brought to Jabba's palace? I believe this is a trap of some sort," Nicholas said quietly.

"I feel partly responsible for the senator's capture," Crystal said, looking up at him. "I also have some skills that you perhaps don't, and you would draw too much attention at the smuggler's hideout because he knows you."

"I agree with Crystal," Mace Windu nodded. "If Crystal is captured while trying to save Senator Amidala, we will send you into the palace, Nicholas, and you can rescue them."

"If I just went to begin with, I wouldn't have to save them," Nicholas said firmly.

"Crystal is more powerful. I doubt that she would fail in this mission, and if it is a trap, she would know of it before you will, Nicholas. Crystal, please contact Yavin and inform your senators and chancellor that you will be assisting in the rescuing of Senator Amidala," Mace Windu said, and Crystal nodded her head.

"I will do that."

"Everyone is dismissed," Mace Windu announced, and the Jedi began to leave the room.

"Don't be so upset, Nicholas," Obi Wan said, putting a hand on Nicholas' shoulder.

Nicholas slumped into his seat, his knuckles on his forehead.

"They don't understand what they are getting into, Master. This is the most populated season at Jabba's palace. Smugglers, gamblers, bounty hunters, and all other such scum are overpopulated at his palace at this time of year. This is the time when the pod races and competitions are held. It will be too dangerous for her," Nicholas sighed.

"Perhaps it will be so crowded that no one will even take a second glance at Crystal. She will be disguised anyhow," Obi Wan tried to comfort.

"Jabba has high security in that palace. Someone will notice her, especially if this is all a trap. And it frightens me to think of what would happen if Jabba himself got a hold of her. Ugh!" Nicholas exclaimed and then stood up again. "I suppose there is nothing I can do about it now. I will prepare to leave," he said, and Obi Wan nodded.


	13. Vanisher's Return

**Here's a chapter with Jabba the Hutt! I'm sure you all were just waiting for him to appear in the story! What's Star Wars without Jabba? :)**** Thank you so much to those of you who have been reviewing! It is nice to know that someone is enjoying the story! Continue to enjoy, and please keep up with the reviews! You are so encouraging!**

**Chapter Thirteen: Vanisher's Return**

"Rather a dead place," Crystal commented as she stepped out of her spacecraft and walked into the sand.

"Yes, but it was home to me for almost my entire life," Nicholas said, looking her over quickly.

She wore a suit of heavy armor, almost completely hiding her graceful form. She wore her hair in a braid and wore boots made of a heavy, thick material.

"You must be burning up," Nicholas added as he took a helmet from Obi Wan, who was standing quietly next to him.

"That I am, but it isn't far to Jabba's palace. Right over that hill, correct?" Crystal asked, and Nicholas nodded as he moved the helmet towards her head.

"Be careful, and make sure that you never speak with your real voice," he said, allowing his gloved hand to stroke her cheek quickly before he put the helmet into place, covering Crystal's beautiful face with its ugliness.

"I will report to you as soon as it is safe to do so," Crystal said, her voice coming out in a rough, alien dialect.

"Be extremely careful, Crystal. If anything should happen to you, we would be accountable to all of Yavin," Obi Wan said worriedly.

Crystal saluted and then turned away from the men and began to make her way across the sand and to the top of the dune.

"I really don't like this," Nicholas said as Crystal disappeared from sight.

"I don't necessarily like it either," Obi Wan nodded and then turned and went back into the ship.

The first impression Crystal had of Jabba's palace was that it was hardly a palace. It was a domed building the color of the sand that surrounded it, and it seemed to be very peaceful from the outside. She walked over to a large wall that appeared to be a door and switched the language interpreter in her helmet to Noghri before she spoke.

"Hello!"

A microphone-type object protruded out of the wall and moved close to her, a strange voice speaking to her. Had it not been for Nicholas' very brief training he had given, Crystal would not have known what the voice was saying.

"I am a smuggler, here to see Jabba. Brie is the name," Crystal spoke.

An instant later, the great wall was opened and a creature that appeared to be mostly Boar went to Crystal and gestured for her to follow him. Crystal felt a bit of despair as the wall closed behind her and the corridor that she was in became dark and frightening. Slime covered the walls, and Crystal held her breath as distasteful odors filled her nostrils. Nicholas had not warned her of how disgusting the palace was, but the worst part was not passing through the corridors, it was entering Jabba's throne room. A more disgusting, slimy creature Crystal had never seen, and the criminals that filled the room were only slightly less abhorrent than Jabba himself was.

No one took any notice of Crystal as she moved quietly throughout the throne room, catching pieces of conversation as she did so. She couldn't understand most of what anyone was saying, his or her languages were so foreign to her, but she did pause with interest when she heard someone speaking in perfect English. The speaker was a being in complete body armor, and he was talking to a tall creature with pointed tentacles of some sort protruding from his large head.

"Jabba does have some concern about the senator being here, of course," the person was saying, and the alien replied in his native tongue.

"Yes, he expects the Jedi to be here any time now, but he doesn't fear them. I, on the other hand, loathe the Jedi. Were it not for Jabba's orders, I would kill them as soon as I see them. Anyhow, I must go back to my guard duties now. Get a drink for me, will you?"

The armored smuggler began to leave the throne room, and as he did so, Crystal used the force to follow him. Unknowingly, the man led her directly to Padme's prison cell. She could see through the walls that surrounded the senator, and she could see Padme huddled in a corner of the dark room, an expression of great courage on her face.

"_Padme_."

Padme suddenly looked up, a familiar voice having touched her mind.

"_I know you cannot contact me in the way that I can contact you, but whisper your answers out loud, and I will hear you."_

"Crystal?" Padme whispered.

"_Yes. Tell me, is there ever a time where smugglers or bounty hunters do not guard you?" _

"Yes. At meal times the bounty hunter leaves and I am left with the pigs," Padme said.

"_I will come to your cell when dinner is being served, then. Be ready for me." _

"Of course," Padme nodded and then looked out the small cell window. No one had heard her speaking, and the bounty hunter was standing alertly against the wall.

As soon as dinner was announced, Crystal began to make her way to the prison cells. It was a difficult task. Servants and Jabba's scum were pushing against her, rushing to where a large tray of food stood. A servant stopped her along the way, a tray of some alcoholic beverages on his tray.

"A drink?" he asked.

"Water," Crystal said in the Noghri tongue.

"Water?" the servant asked, and a couple of people glanced at the small smuggler.

"Yes," Crystal answered.

The servant gestured to a droid who quickly held a glass of some dark, brown liquid to her.

"Water," the servant said, and Crystal glanced at the water that was being offered to her.

She took it quickly, and when the servant had left and no one seemed to be looking, she put the glass on a crowded table and then continued to make her way to the prison.

Padme was waiting expectantly when Crystal arrived at her cell.

"It's me," Crystal whispered as she looked at the lock on the cell door. She took a small piece of metal out of her suit and put it into the keyhole.

"Where are the guards?" Padme asked as the lock fell into Crystal's hand.

"Preoccupied, don't worry. Are you chained?" Crystal asked.

"Yes."

Crystal walked into the prison and glanced at Padme's chains before she drew her lightsaber.

"Move away from me a bit," she said, and Padme did as she was told.

In less than five seconds, Padme's hands were free, and she grabbed Crystal's arm.

"How are we going to get out of here?" she whispered.

"Through the…wait! Get down, Padme!" Crystal whispered quickly, and both women dropped to the floor of the cell.

"Droids," Padme whispered as a strange rolling sound drew nearer.

"Worse than that," Crystal whispered harshly. "Droidekas. Someone was expecting me."

The droids, shaped like large metal balls in their present form, rolled past the cell. As they did so, another figure suddenly became visible in the shadows, walking steadfastly towards the women, a large blaster in hand.

"You seem to have a visitor, Senator Amidala. Drop your weapons," the armored bounty hunter that Crystal had seen earlier demanded.

"Once again, something has destroyed my work," Crystal said as she stood up and with a wave of her hand, twisted the blaster away from her.

As soon as she had accomplished that menial feat, a large creature raced at her legs. Crystal kicked it away, but it charged at her again. She put out her hand to stop it with the force, but found, to her horror, that her abilities had been greatly weakened. The creature slowed down slightly, but continued moving towards her.

"What is this?" she gasped aloud and then stepped back as another form moved towards her. It was an elderly man with a billowing black cape and dark, glittering eyes.

"I thought you would know better than to enter such a trap," he said, his voice deep, and Crystal's lightsaber was wrenched from her hand. Before she could save it, or her other weapons, two more of the large creatures moved towards her, and she knew that she didn't have the capabilities to fight them.

"What's wrong?" Padme exclaimed, standing up and grabbing Crystal's arm.

"I am defenseless. Somehow those creatures cut off my force ability," Crystal said, astonished.

The bounty hunter stepped forward at the dark lord's command, and with one swift move, he sent Crystal's helmet flying against the prison wall. He stepped back respectfully as the beautiful queen's face became visible, her dark eyes burning into the older man that stood near her.

"We were expecting you," the man said simply, and then he placed glowing blue chains on her hands. After having accomplished that, he walked away from her, back into the shadows.

Droidekas and the bounty hunter accompanied Crystal as she and Senator Amidala entered the throne room. One of the large, force-deflecting creatures walked on either side of her. She had tried to struggle, but any rebellious movement she made was corrected quickly by a warning gesture from the bounty hunter's blaster. Not that it should have mattered much, but Crystal had Padme's safety to consider as well, and the last thing she wanted was for Padme to be harmed. As for that dark lord, she had seen him before and knew him to be Count Dooku from Geonosis. She imagined that she had been captured because he was angry about his battle station plan having been discovered and the station having been destroyed. Why he would bring his trap to Jabba's palace, however, was a confusing question. Thoughts of Nicholas flickered through Crystal's mind as she was led before Jabba. She had hoped that Lord Sidious hadn't seen Nicholas' amazing skills, but it was apparent that the Sith lord and his comrades had seen it and the trap had actually been prepared for Nicholas. The thing that upset her the most was that she had no way to contact Nicholas and warn him.

Padme was brought back to her prison cell, and Crystal was given different clothes to wear. She was surprised to note that even though the crime lord had a taste for ugly, immodest clothing, she had been given a fairly decent dress to wear. She was chained to a wall next to Jabba's throne, the glowing chains still on her wrists. She had tried to get them off, but they were too hard. Jabba did not treat her in any disrespectful manner, but saw to it that she was fed and even tried to speak with her, but she couldn't understand him, and she didn't have the patience to listen to his interpreter droid.

The evening passed, bringing with it several executions. When Jabba would get angry with one of the bounty hunters or smugglers, he would merely dispose of them by causing them to fall through a trap door in front of the throne. Crystal never saw how the beings were destroyed because she turned her head each time someone fell. She tried to cover her ears, but her chains were too complex for her, and she had to endure the horrid noises that came from the pit.

Jabba's throne room was completely silent a few hours after Crystal's capture, and the silence was only interrupted by occasional snores and growls. Everyone had somehow found a place to sleep in the room, and bodies were spread out all over the floor and furniture.

The next morning came, and several occupants in the throne room were awakened to hear the entrance wall to the palace being opened. They paid little attention to it as the gambling and tournaments of the day began. Rumor had it that several more hundred guests would be arriving that day.

Mike Solo walked towards the throne room, frowning as he heard the loud shouting and arguing coming from the room. Music filled the corridor, and he sighed with disgust.

"Of all the filthy places to work," he whispered, becoming immersed in darkness as the wall closed behind him. "I could have worked on Coruscant, but no, I had to take this place. At least it pays decently."

"How would you like to get a little more pay?" A voice asked, and Mike drew his blaster quickly and spun around to see who had spoken to him. The only thing he saw was two of the pig-like guards collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

"Who's there?" he asked worriedly, not seeing the form that flipped down from the ceiling and landed silently behind him.

"I'm right here," the voice said from directly behind Mike.

Mike spun rapidly, his blaster unable to come to bear on its intended target before it was flung through the air.

"I mean you no harm."

Mike's mouth began to open in awe and respect as he realized whom it was that stood in front of him.

"Vanisher? Are you really Vanisher?" he gasped, studying the man who stood before him, dressed in white raiment with embroidered gold on the edges of his sleeves. The man had a white mask surrounding his eyes and covering his nose.

"I am Vanisher, Mike Solo. I have a bit of a job for you," Vanisher spoke, a smile on his face.

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"I am going to confront Jabba in his throne room. If anything happens, I need you to go to Master Obi Wan Kenobi. His ship is half a mile north of here."

"Master Obi Wan Kenobi? I've seen you before, haven't I?" Mike asked.

"Yes. I am Nicholas," Vanisher grinned, taking off his mask momentarily before he put it back into place.

"And to think, you were Vanisher and I didn't even know it!" Mike exclaimed.

"Will you do what I asked, Mike? You will be well paid for your efforts," Nicholas said.

"Yes, I will."

"Don't tell anyone who I am."

"Of course not, sir."

Crystal turned her head as Jabba ate his food, green slime pouring from his mouth. A sudden whizzing sound overcame the music that was playing a moment later, and all noise stopped and every head turned to see what had caused the noise. There, a very short distance above Jabba's head, was a curved golden blade of some sort, buried deep into the wall. Bodyguards immediately ran towards the entranceway to the room, everyone watching them. It was to everyone's surprise that only a few seconds later the bodyguards backed respectfully away from the door, and a man dressed in white stepped into the room.

"Hello Jabba," Nicholas said, walking past the astounded guests.

"Vanisher," Jabba said, his voice deep and raspy. "What brings you here?" he asked in Huttese.

Nicholas began to speak in the Huttese language, every word sounding deep and unattractive. He caught sight of Crystal as he spoke and immediately noticed her glowing shackles. He continued to speak calmly, Jabba listening attentively to every word he said and occasionally glancing at Crystal.

"You have with you Queen Crystal of Yavin and Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo. They must be returned to their people. I have come to bring them back," Nicholas said easily.

"If you had come first, I would have given them to you. However, I was ordered to keep them here. A trap has been laid, and I am being paid handsomely and being threatened to keep them here," Jabba replied.

"Who hired you?"

"Some Sith lord. I was waiting for a Jedi to come. Queen Crystal is a Jedi, but she is not the one the trap was set for. I have a favor to ask of you, if you don't mind, Vanisher," Jabba said, changing the subject.

"What favor?" Nicholas asked.

"It is a known fact among the scum here that Vanisher was always tested before he was permitted to speak openly before me. It's been years, and I believe that I should test you again, to make sure that you are Vanisher. You could very well be one of the Vanisher impersonators that has come here over the past few years."

Nicholas smiled slightly. He knew that if he did what Jabba asked and succeeded in his test, he might be able to make some sort of arrangement with Jabba, causing the women to be freed. Jabba had valued Vanisher enough to treat him as a superior, and if Nicholas could prove that he truly was Vanisher, Jabba would do everything he could to protect him and make him happy.

Nicholas did not answer Jabba, but he stepped back, coming to a stand right on the grates of the trap door.

"Vanisher!" Crystal panicked, but Nicholas continued to stare at Jabba, a small smile still playing on his face.

"You will not kill your rival," Jabba said, and Nicholas bowed slightly. As soon as he finished his bow, the trap door opened, and he flipped to the ground of the arena below.

Jabba's throne was moved, and all of his guests began to surround the pit. Crystal was dragged forward as well, panicking as she caught sight of Nicholas standing alone in a sand-covered den.

"As before, I will give you a bolt to defend yourself with," Jabba called out, and a long stick was thrown into the pit. Nicholas caught it and nodded.

"What creature have I been sent to battle?"

Jabba gestured to one of his men, and instantly a large gate attached to the pit began to open. Everyone watched excitedly as the gate finished opening and a huge catlike creature with razor-sharp teeth and a lashing tail stalked slowly towards Nicholas. It was three times Nicholas' size in length and was about twice his height. It screamed loudly, causing many people to cover their ears. Nicholas calmly ignited the Bolt, balls of glowing green energy suddenly appearing at the ends of his stick. The weapon was deadly to humans, but to such a creature as the one he would be battling, it would merely shock the creature for a few seconds.

The lights suddenly went out in the throne room, and the only thing that was visible was Nicholas, the Bolt, and the small beam of light that encircled him from the weapon. The monster's eyes were glowing as he continued to stalk towards Nicholas, and a great noise started in the throne room. Gamblers began to bet their money, not against Vanisher, but against the beast. Some carefully were betting on how long it would take for Vanisher to wipe out the creature, but all had learned, after many unfortunate situations, that it was deadly to ever bet against Vanisher. If Jabba heard of it, he killed whoever had made such bets.

Crystal's heart was beating wildly as she watched Nicholas spin the Bolt professionally. Many men had died to that creature in only the short time she had been at the palace, and she did not wish to see Nicholas get killed as well. She was also afraid that he would use some of his Jedi capabilities, and although she couldn't see him, she knew Count Dooku was watching Vanisher carefully, evaluating every move or thought he made.

The creature screamed again and then, most unexpectedly, flung itself into the air towards Nicholas. Nicholas dropped low to the ground, and the creature completely missed its mark.

"Good choice of pet, Jabba! I haven't seen one of these in years!" Nicholas called out in Huttese, and Jabba chuckled proudly.

The creature spun around and leaped again. He spun around Nicholas, instead of soaring over him, and Nicholas brought the Bolt to bear on the creature's head. The creature screamed angrily and then lashed out at Nicholas with its claws. Nicholas was ready. He did a couple of back handsprings to give himself some distance, and then he dropped low again and sent a kick at the beast's face. The catlike creature was hurled against the wall, and Nicholas charged it, swiveling his Bolt as he did so. The cat was fast and was immediately on its feet, circling its prey, trying to discover its prey's weak point. Nicholas never turned his back to the creature and was completely prepared when it sprang at him again. This time, he brought the Bolt to bear on the predator's face again, and accompanied that move by a hard punch. The creature was again thrust into the wall, but before it could recover, Nicholas had flung himself towards the creature and had dealt it a heavy blow to the head. The monster dropped to the ground, knocked out cold.

Great were the cheers of the audience as Nicholas was brought back out of the den, and Jabba was grinning with pleasure.

"So you are Vanisher," he spoke. "Welcome back."

Nicholas bowed politely. "Now to business, Jabba," he said, but Jabba waved his hand casually.

"Later. We must prepare for the pod race. My barge!" the beast roared, and immediately many servants rushed about, preparing the guests and Jabba for departure. "You will come with me," Jabba said, looking at Nicholas again. "We have much to discuss. The queen and senator will come as well."

"Very well," Nicholas said, glancing at Crystal momentarily and catching her eye. He could see that she was afraid, and he hoped that she would see his calm. He knew that there was more to her imprisonment than he could see, the strange shackles having confirmed that. Perhaps Jabba would weaken up a bit and let him know what was happening.

Nicholas and Crystal were the only people permitted to stay with Jabba in his room on the sail barge as it moved swiftly towards Mos Eisley. Nicholas stood patiently at Jabba's side while he gazed out the room's large windows to the endless sea of sand.

"You may talk to her," Jabba said calmly, gesturing towards Crystal who stood chained a short distance away from him.

"Thank you," Nicholas nodded and walked quickly to Crystal. He took her hands in his and gazed into her eyes.

"What is happening?" he whispered, his eyes appearing to be a more brilliant shade of green from behind the mask.

"Dooku is here, as well as several Droidekas," Crystal whispered back.

"Have you been at all hurt?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "These shackles seem to have cut off my force abilities, however, and I feel as though I am paralyzed."

"I will soon get to the bottom of this. Jabba has already said that only the two of us, Padme, and two of his guards will be permitted to be near him during the pod race. He will speak to me about all of this then, I am sure," Nicholas said, and Crystal gazed at him worriedly.

"What if we don't succeed, Nicholas?"

"How do you mean?"

"I am afraid for you," she choked, tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

"Why? There is no need to be afraid for me," Nicholas smiled, rubbing her hands confidently as he held them.

"I have my suspicions about something, Nicholas, that greatly involves you."

"What would that be?"

"This trap wasn't set for me. It was set for you."

"Why? You are the Undefeatable Jedi, they could have no…" Nicholas stopped suddenly and looked at the floor, shaking his head. "It's impossible."

"You know what I am saying, don't you?" Crystal asked, and Nicholas looked at her face again to see tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You needn't worry, Crystal. I am not the Undefeatable Jedi. I can't create fireballs or silence the Jedi masters."

"No, but you can seemingly vanish into thin air, and you can beat me at a lightsaber duel," Crystal said, her voice quivering. "You had power enough to save me without even going into the space station, as well as protecting yourself at the same time. You might be the Undefeatable Jedi, and I think the dark lords know that."

"I still think it's impossible. Crystal, what if we both are?"

"You don't have a weakness, Nicholas. You have overcome your fears and are very powerful. Make sure that no one ever discovers that. Now, it appears that we are at the pod race," Crystal said, looking away from him.

Nicholas gulped and stepped away from her, still shaking his head. It wasn't entirely impossible, he realized. He was suddenly frightened.

Dust flew up into Crystal's face as she walked quietly beside Padme as they left the sail barge and came to a large balcony overlooking a great dirt path. The path was wide, and flowed freely throughout many identical homes. Many different pod racers, of all colors, sizes, and descriptions, were lined up in the path, some of the engines kicking off occasionally, causing more dirt to rise. Thousands of people stood in all directions, and many looked inquisitively at Jabba's two beautiful captives. They immediately glanced away, out of respect, when they caught sight of Vanisher. For, while Vanisher had been gone for many years, he was a legendary character, and the people knew that Jabba held him in the greatest esteem and they would befall many grave punishments if they treated Vanisher in any way that wasn't the slightest bit respectful.

Jabba's moveable throne was stopped when it was placed where he wanted it on the balcony, and Nicholas stood next to him, gazing out as all pilots and people in the audience looked up at Jabba expectantly. The large slug-like creature raised one arm, dripping with fat, and roared, "Start your engines!"

Different translators shouted in response, and then all other sounds were drowned out as engines were fired up. As soon as every pod was prepared and every pilot was looking up at Jabba, he dropped his arm, and the pods sped off towards the distant canyons. People screamed cheerfully as the pod racers rapidly disappeared from sight.

Great noises filled the air as everyone waited for the pod racers. Jabba turned his head towards Nicholas, his large eyes gazing fondly into Vanisher's.

"If you had told me in advance that these two women were in your care, Vanisher, I would have freely given them to you. However, another has given me money to secure them in preparation for a certain Jedi that was to come. The Queen of Yavin was not the Jedi that I was waiting for. She came unexpectedly and became part of the trap," Jabba explained slowly.

"Do you know who the Jedi was that you were to wait for?" Nicholas asked calmly.

"No. I've never cared much for the Jedi, you know that. Their powers don't frighten me, and the money was hard to resist," Jabba said with a shrug.

"Jabba, I am the Jedi," Nicholas said quietly, and Jabba's head lurched back with surprise.

"That cannot be! I promised that I would never betray my Vanisher! If you truly are the Jedi, then you must leave!"

"I have to bring the queen and senator with me," Nicholas persisted. "They are under my protection. I cannot leave them!"

Jabba glanced about him worriedly, the crowds beginning to scream wildly as news of the approaching racers came to their ears. "Take the women, then, but somehow make up an excuse to protect me!"

"I thought you don't fear Jedi, Jabba," Nicholas frowned, crossing his arms.

"These aren't Jedi, they are Sith lords! I can only hope they haven't heard me talking to you! I would be killed!" Jabba panicked

"I will make a way for you to be safe. Thank you for understanding," Nicholas said, beginning to walk towards Crystal.

A sudden explosion caused him to spin back around, previously concealed lightsaber in hand. He couldn't see what caused the noise, and he couldn't hear anything more as the roar of pod racer engines suddenly pierced the air, coming closer.

"Vanisher, look at Jabba!" Padme screamed, and Nicholas caught sight of the throne beginning to move rapidly towards the balcony's railing, beginning to tip.

Jabba was roaring hysterically, but before his two guards could do anything, an unseen force knocked them unconscious to the ground.

"Do something!" Crystal cried out, and Nicholas threw his lightsaber towards her.

As the lightsaber flew through the air, he leaped into the air and flung himself at the emergency lock on Jabba's throne. He threw a powerful kick at it, causing the throne to stop right before Jabba was about to tip over and get hit by the pod racers that were speeding through the city, going around for another lap.

Nicholas' lightsaber sliced neatly through Crystal's bonds, and she grabbed hold of it.

"Look out!" she shouted as ten soldiers in black armor suddenly raced onto the balcony, their blasters aimed at Nicholas.

Nicholas pulled out his blaster, allowing Crystal to deflect the lasers that were already coming towards them, Padme standing safely behind her. Jabba was shouting for more guards, and bounty hunters and smugglers of all sorts came to his aid, firing with deadly accuracy at the armored soldiers.

"Get out of here!" Jabba ordered, and Nicholas nodded his head obediently. He grabbed Crystal and Padme and began to run, firing his blaster as more armored guards began to appear.

As the two Jedi and the senator ran to get away from the balcony, they passed the armored bounty hunter who had aided Count Dooku in Crystal's capture. Before the stunned bounty hunter could do anything, Crystal's lightsaber was flying through the air and landed safely in its owner's hand. Crystal tossed Nicholas his lightsaber, and the two began to work together to fend off the lasers that were firing in all directions about them. A large metal ball of sorts appeared before them, and Crystal shouted.

"Vanisher, it's a Droideka! Destroy it before it opens up!"

Nicholas nodded in compliance, but he was too busy fending off black armored soldiers to obey. The droid uncurled and began to open fire on the Jedi.

"This will never do! We need Obi Wan's help!" Nicholas shouted as another Droideka came into view.

Crystal nodded and then grabbed Padme's arm and began to pull her in one direction while Nicholas ran in another.

Not more than two minutes later, Nicholas found himself surrounded by dark soldiers and Droidekas. He wasn't sure what to do, but swung his lightsaber about, protecting himself as best he could. Anakin had once been encountered by a similar situation and had been forced to surrender, but Nicholas knew that if he was captured, Crystal and Padme would most likely be as well, and all would be lost.

It did not take long for Nicholas to begin to weaken under the great stress that the battle was putting on him. More and more enemies appeared after others fell, and not a single one of the droids had been destroyed. Nicholas knew that he couldn't last much longer, but he had no option but to keep trying. He was beginning to regain his strength when a figure in black raiment stepped behind him and lifted a withered hand towards the brave Jedi. He let loose a few red energy beams, and then Nicholas crumpled to the floor, his strength completely gone. The last thing he saw, before he faded into unconsciousness, was one of the Droideka standing over him, blasters aimed at his face.


	14. Too Close

**I thought I'd go ahead and put up the next chapter. Thank you so very much to all of you who are reviewing this story! It's so exciting to get reviews, especially when this story is about five years old! Wow! Thank you so much! Please continue to let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fourteen: Too Close**

An irritating buzzing interrupted Nicholas' subconscious, and he opened his eyes drowsily to find himself in a dark room without any lighting except for one red light bar above what appeared to be a door. He was lying on a cold floor, still in his Vanisher outfit with the mask. He shook his head as he leaned up on one elbow. He blinked and then tried to stretch out with the force.

_Crystal? _

To his horror, he could not reach her, nor remember what had happened that had caused him to be where he was.

"Crystal!" he shouted, leaping to his feet and beginning to bang on the door.

He continued to bang, shouting and panicking as he realized that his force abilities were completely gone. He glanced at his wrists, but he didn't have any glowing shackles on, which caused him to fret even more.

"What's going on?" he finally shouted, and when he wasn't answered, he sat back down on the floor, sweat dripping down his forehead. He wasn't terrified, to his surprise, but was extremely concerned for Crystal and Padme, wherever they were, if they were still alive.

Three hours of darkness passed, and Nicholas had the sense of mind to remain seated on the floor, knowing fully well that his shouting and panic would not accomplish much. As the minutes passed, his memory came back, and he marveled that he wasn't dead. He was sure that Count Dooku was his captor, and he could only hope that he was not being held prisoner just to be killed.

When the hours were past, the cell door opened and a frightening-looking guard, dressed from head to foot in a deep red cloak, came into view.

"Stand up!" he ordered, and Nicholas did as he was told, catching sight of the large dog-like creatures that scurried about the guard's feet.

"Nice stick," Nicholas commented, glancing at the guard's large stick-shaped weapon as he stepped out of the cell and began to follow the guard down a dimly lit corridor.

"Don't tangle with me. The blasts from this stick can rip a full-sized spacecraft in half," the guard snapped and then became quiet as another guard stepped into place behind Nicholas.

"Where am I being taken?" Nicholas asked, and the guard from the rear shoved him in the back with his stick.

"No questions."

"Okay," Nicholas gulped and then squinted as a bright light became visible when the lead guard opened a door.

Nicholas stepped into the brightly lit room and gazed at the inhabitants in silent amazement. Hundreds of black-armored guards stood at attention, making a small path for him to go through.

"If you're going to kill me, just do it quickly," Nicholas whispered as he walked through the heavily guarded room and was led through another corridor.

He went through three more doors, then up a flight of black stairs, and finally came to a stop in a large, dark room. His eyes hardened as a throne, facing a large window revealing hundreds of stars and miles of outer space, turned about slowly, and Lord Sidious glared at him.

"Welcome, Nicholas Jade. Guards, take that ridiculous mask off him," Lord Sidious ordered, and one of the red guards reached out a gloved hand and ripped the mask off Nicholas' face, causing him to turn his head in pain and then look forward again, his green eyes glowing menacingly.

Lord Sidious was opening his mouth to speak, but Nicholas didn't give him a chance. He suddenly sprang at the man, running full speed towards him, prepared to grab his lightsaber from off the Emperor's lap, ignite it, and cut the evil man down. The red guards panicked, and they raised their sticks, but Lord Sidious gestured for them to remain calm and then raised his hands towards Nicholas. Nicholas had learned quickly what those upraised hands meant, and he cringed as he raised his own hands, futilely hoping his own drained strength would be able to save him. Lord Sidious' energy bolts were almost within reaching distance, when suddenly, a green, clear wall encircled Nicholas, and the energy bolts dissipated harmlessly into the shield. Nicholas' breathing quickened, or he was shocked by his own strength. He didn't hear the Emperor shouting, and he didn't see the strange dog creatures running towards him. He was amazed, and yet horrified, by his shield.

The shield disappeared when the Vornsk got closer, and glowing shackles were placed rapidly on his wrists.

"That was a clever move, young Jedi," Lord Sidious hissed, putting his hands down slowly.

"Thank you," Nicholas found himself saying, sweat glistening on his neck and face. He cleared his thoughts a second later and glared up at Lord Sidious. "Where are Queen Crystal and Senator Amidala?"

"In good hands. Queen Crystal will be joining us momentarily," Lord Sidious smiled.

"Leave her out of this!" Nicholas said, his voice cold.

"Why should you care what happens to her?"

"I would be responsible for whatever happens to her."

"Tell me, Nicholas, have you a weakness of any sort?"

Nicholas was about to shake his head when he heard shouting coming from the entranceway to the room.

"Let me go! Release me!"

He turned quickly to see Crystal being dragged by two guards into the room. Her long hair was loose and wild as she struggled to free herself, but the guards were cruel to her and held her tightly.

"Your weakness," Lord Sidious said again, but Nicholas ignored him and kept his eyes on Crystal. "Guards, release her," Lord Sidious ordered, and the men threw Crystal at Nicholas. He would have reached out and grabbed her, but he didn't know what his shackles could do if they touched her, so he stepped back and allowed her to right herself.

"I am not very patient, Nicholas Jade. Have you any weakness at all?" Lord Sidious demanded.

"No!" Nicholas growled.

"No need to get temperamental," Lord Sidious chuckled. "The queen does have a weakness, but even our tools could not get the information out of her," Lord Sidious scowled. "And so, there is only one way to deal with this situation. Count Dooku, come here."

Count Dooku stepped out of the shadows behind Lord Sidious' throne, his red double lightsaber in hand.

"We will have a duel," the dark lord continued, glaring maliciously at the two Jedi knights. "One of you is the Undefeatable Jedi. You will both duel against each other. Whichever of you survives will be permitted to live and will fall under my training. Of course, there will only be one survivor. If one of you isn't killed, Count Dooku or myself will finish you off."

"Fight each other?" Nicholas gasped and looked at Crystal.

Her eyes were bloodshot from the treatment she had been given, and her shoulders were drooped wearily. Nicholas was afraid for her, afraid that she would be the one killed.

"We will not fight each other," Crystal said, looking up at the Emperor, a spark in her eyes. "You cannot make us."

"Oh yes, I can. If you two fight each other, one of you will be able to survive. If you don't, you both will be killed, and the galaxy will be empty of its only Undefeatable Jedi, and I will rule it," Lord Sidious threatened.

"You cannot win by doing this, Palpatine," Nicholas warned.

"I don't believe that, young Jedi. Dooku, their lightsabers."

Crystal grabbed her lightsaber from Dooku as he handed it to her, her fingers wrapping weakly around the weapon. She was trembling viciously, and Lord Sidious watched her with dark eyes.

"I cannot do this," she whispered to herself as her shackles were taken off. She looked up at Nicholas to see that he was gazing at her, and their eyes met. "I cannot do this," Crystal said quietly, and Nicholas nodded.

"Neither can I. We will fight each other, but we will not fight hard. Perhaps Lord Sidious will get exasperated with our play and will stop the whole thing."

"Nicholas, this is supposed to be a fight to the death," Crystal frowned.

"We will pretend to be fighting viciously, and then, when the time is right, we will get close enough to kill Palpatine and Dooku. Together, we have greater strength than either of them has. It's just a matter of acting and timing," Nicholas said, stepping close to her.

"What if this doesn't work? Nicholas, I am frightened!" Crystal said, allowing him to stand very close to her, his breath warm against her forehead.

"It has to work. We can make it work. Let's get started," Nicholas said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it quickly before he drew away from her and ignited his lightsaber, its green glow shining eerily off his face. "Farewell, Queen Crystal of Yavin," he said loudly enough for Palpatine and Dooku to hear it.

"Farewell," Crystal said, trying to sound composed as her own teal blade ignited.

Lord Sidious' eyes glowed as the lightsabers suddenly clashed against each other, humming loudly as they were spun about wildly.

"They will not kill each other," Dooku said from the dark lord's side.

"That is why I have called you here. It is time you saw more of the power of the dark side," Sidious nodded and then watched as Crystal and Nicholas continued fighting.

Crystal swung low to avoid Nicholas' blade and then came back up again, swinging her lightsaber at him quickly. Both were wet with sweat, but they continued on, swinging at each other and leaping back and forth. Nicholas swung at Crystal again, and she flipped backwards and up, coming to land on an overhead platform. Nicholas leaped up after her, and they fought directly below the ceiling, twisting and spinning easily.

"This cannot last forever!" Crystal gasped as she nearly fell, quickly scrambling to her feet to save herself.

"We are both too strong," Nicholas nodded as the two lightsabers suddenly came together and spun in unison, a great whirling of light.

"You are stronger than I," Crystal said, and then the lightsabers came apart and they were back to fighting.

Nicholas glanced down at Lord Sidious to see a smug smile on his face from beneath the hood, and then he turned again and whispered to Crystal.

"We must get closer to them now!" he said, and she nodded. "I will attack Palpatine. You get Count Dooku. On my signal, we'll both jump off and attack." Nicholas glanced over his shoulder. "Ready! Let's…"

Nicholas stopped speaking violently as he turned back to face Crystal. A chill, colder than any chill he had ever felt, swept over his body as a scene more terrifying than any he had yet witnessed came to play before his eyes. A robed figure stepped out from the darkness before him, and directly beside the figure was Crystal, her hands moving rapidly to her chest and her eyes glazing over. Nicholas watched in terror as Crystal crumpled to the floor, her murderer's glowing red lightsaber casting an eerie shade of red over her body as she let out one last cry.

"Crystal! No!" Nicholas screamed, his voice coming out slowly as he tried to understand what had happened.

The dark knight must have come up behind Crystal while they were fighting and cut her down. She was completely out of his sight now, and Nicholas panicked, his heart beating in an irregular rhythm as he looked at the dark figure and screamed again.

"No! You killed her!"

The figure raised his lightsaber and charged Nicholas. Nicholas lost all sense of calm and peace and allowed his anger to flow through him. He knew it was wrong, against everything he had ever been taught, but with Crystal's death part of him had also been killed, and he could not bear it.

Blindly, Nicholas swung his lightsaber at his enemy, ignoring the immense buzzing sensation that hurt his head. He didn't take the time to think, didn't take the time to consider what had just happened. If he had stopped only for a few seconds and had cleared his mind, he would have realized that the entire scene of terror was only an illusion. It was a mind trick, performed expertly by Lord Sidious, and now, completely blind, Nicholas, thinking he was attacking Crystal's murderer, screamed and began to rain blow after blow against Crystal.

Crystal did not understand what happened to Nicholas as he screamed and then looked at her with the most deadly expression in his eyes that she had ever seen.

"Nicholas! What is wrong?" she shouted, but he didn't seem to hear her, and his eyebrows narrowed even more as a faint glimmer of fear rose in his eyes and then fell.

He swung his lightsaber at her, the strength from his anger nearly catching her off guard.

"Nicholas, stop it!" Crystal pleaded as he charged her, swinging his lightsaber over and over again, beating down on hers and weakening her arms.

Crystal was terrified as he continued to glare at her, continued to be angry and continued to weaken her. Something had gone terribly wrong and she could not understand what it was. She tried to see his thoughts, but a wall of anger and passion blocked them. She tried to convince him to stop, but he would not hear her.

A sudden thrust on Nicholas' part sent Crystal falling off the platform. She landed on her side, too shocked and afraid to protect herself appropriately from the fall. She groaned as she tried to get back up, and she looked up to see Nicholas swooping down towards her, his lightsaber raised. She scrambled away from him as he landed, and then leaped back to her feet.

"Stop it, Nicholas! I am warning you to stop!" she said, her heart aching as Nicholas once again swung low.

The heartache turned to physical pain as his lightsaber cut into her leg. She cried out and fell to the ground, grasping her leg in agony.

"Why are you doing this?" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks as she held her lightsaber above her, trying to protect herself.

Nicholas didn't answer, but pressed against the force wall she was holding against him. There was no way to stop him, Crystal realized, and with great pain, she swung her lightsaber, catching him in the thigh. He shouted in agony and then dropped to the ground beside her.

Lord Sidious looked at the two writhing Jedi with disgust, and then raised his hands.

"So ends both of the Jedi," he snarled and then let loose his energy blasts, allowing them to slam into Crystal.

Her cries lasted for only a few seconds before she became unconscious from the energy bolts, her fresh wound, and her broken heart.

The buzzing sensation ringing in Nicholas' ears stopped as her screams pierced through his deafness. He sat up quickly, his thoughts suddenly clear again, and glanced to the side to see Crystal, lying unconscious next to him.

"Crystal!" he shouted, and then flung himself towards her, putting his arms over her to try and protect her.

He knew that his futile attempts would not last long in saving the both of them from Lord Sidious' onslaught of energy blasts. He closed his eyes tightly, concentrating only on cradling Crystal in his arms, on shielding her, and in doing so became deaf to the warning alarms that suddenly cried throughout the great Star Destroyer. As the alarms pierced through the air, Nicholas faded into unconsciousness.

Lord Sidious stopped his barrage upon the Jedi and looked at Dooku with concern.

"What is that?"

"I don't know. I believe it would be best for us to leave," Dooku frowned and Lord Sidious nodded.

"Yes. Let us leave quickly."

The two ran out of the room, and as they did so, two other men ran in from another entrance, a young woman directly behind them.

"Crystal! Nicholas!" Obi Wan cried out, catching sight of the two Jedi lying unconscious on the floor.

"What happened?" Mike Solo gasped as they neared the two, glimpsing the bloodstains on both of them.

"It looks horrible!" Padme gasped, dropping next to Crystal and moving Nicholas' arms gently off of her.

"Looks like they struck each other," Mike said quietly as he stooped low next to Nicholas and looked at the gash in his leg.

"Why would they do that?" Obi Wan asked, beginning to lift Nicholas up into the air with a force grip. Nicholas' eyes began to flutter, and then he opened them and glanced at Obi Wan.

"Crystal!" he panicked.

"Rest easy, Nicholas. She is still alive," Obi Wan said, moving Nicholas into his arms.

"Put me down! I need to help Crystal!" Nicholas gasped, trying to move but then emitting a gasp of pain and grabbing his leg.

"You won't be helping her right now. Mike will take care of her," Obi Wan said calmly.

"Mike?" Nicholas asked, glancing over Obi Wan's shoulder to see Mike Solo lifting Crystal carefully into his arms. "What happened?" Nicholas asked as Mike and Obi Wan began to run towards the hangar, sirens screaming and ringing terribly in the young Jedi's ears.

"I'm not sure. Apparently you both got into a fight," Obi Wan said worriedly, and then he ran through a doorway and into the hangar.

"What happened to my leg?" Nicholas asked, but Obi Wan put his hand protectively over the young man's mouth.

"Shh. Don't worry about that now. I'm going to put you in the back of the ship and then Mike will see to your wounds as well as Crystal's."

"Where is Padme?"

"I am right here, Nicholas!" Padme's voice said from next to Obi Wan.

"Good," Nicholas sighed and then closed his eyes.

Obi Wan, Mike and Padme rushed into their ship with the wounded Jedi, and then quickly made preparations for a quick departure.

Obi Wan placed Nicholas on a bed, strapped him down, and then hurried to the cockpit. Mike did the same with Crystal, and Nicholas glanced over, once the man had left, to see Crystal lying limply on her bed, her head turned away from him and her long hair damp and matted.

Obi Wan came into the room once the ship was safely away from the Star Destroyer, an extremely serious expression on his face.

"We're being chased, so Mike thought it best to man the ship. Nicholas, what happened?" Obi Wan asked, coming to Nicholas' side and looking at his leg.

"I don't know. I was fighting Crystal, trying to deceive Palpatine, when she was suddenly cut down by a large man in a black cloak, and I couldn't see her or feel her presence any longer. I thought she had been killed, so I became angry and attacked her assassin. The next thing I knew, I was in agony, and I was falling to the floor, Crystal right next to me. Lord Sidious unleashed his energy beams on us after that, but that is all I can remember of the incident."

"When you were hurt, where was the mysterious dark lord?" Obi Wan asked, ripping the fabric that surrounded Nicholas' wound.

"He disappeared."

Obi Wan looked up suddenly, his face twisted in worry.

"What if you were fighting Crystal the whole time?"

"What do you mean?" Nicholas asked, confused.

"Is it possible that Lord Sidious was able to deceive your mind into believing that you were fighting a dark lord, when the whole time, it was Crystal? Nicholas, what happened when you thought Crystal had been killed?" Obi Wan asked, completely concerned.

"I let my…feelings get the better of me," Nicholas said with shock. "I had to protect her at all costs, even if she was dead! Obi Wan, what have a done?" he gasped, all color drained out of his face as he put his hands to his eyes in misery. "The only person I've ever loved, and I nearly killed her!"

Obi Wan looked at Nicholas with great compassion, trying to understand what the young man was going through. His love for the Queen of Yavin had always been evident, and it had made him powerful enough to nearly kill her. Yet how could Nicholas, a Jade and the infamous Vanisher, nearly kill the Undefeatable Jedi?

A low sob from the other end of the room sent Nicholas leaping to his feet, breaking through the straps that had been on him. He ignored the excruciating pain in his leg as he hobbled over to Crystal, collapsing on his knees next to her.

"Crystal, hear me, I beg you!" he cried, and she opened her eyes slowly.

"Nicholas?" she whispered, tear streaks on her face and tears still dancing in her eyes.

"Yes," he said, reaching out to put his hand on hers. "I am here."

"Nicholas!" she exclaimed, and this time she sat up and tried to move away from him, pushing the straps off as she did so.

"Please hear me, Crystal! The whole thing was an accident! I beg you to hear me!" Nicholas cried, emitting a wretched moan as he put his head on the bed in front of her and cried.

Neither Jedi noticed as Obi Wan slipped quietly towards the doorway, wisely deciding that he would have to tend to the physical wounds later and stay a short distance away.

"You tried to kill me," Crystal whispered hoarsely, gazing at the man who knelt in anguish before her.

"It was all a mistake," Nicholas moaned, looking up into her eyes.

She was shocked to see that the brilliance was gone from his eyes and that they were bloodshot and cloudy. She wanted to despise him, wanted to have the inward strength to throw him against the other wall, but she was unable to feel such anger towards him.

"What happened then?" she asked quietly.

"Palpatine tricked me into believing that you were killed by a dark lord. I became angry and tried to kill him, never knowing that the dark lord was actually you. Palpatine changed you into a dark lord, and I wanted to kill him."

"Surely you would have known it was I. You are stronger than Palpatine, Nicholas," Crystal said slowly.

"Crystal, believe me! I thought it was you! I was blinded. Don't you know, Crystal, that I would do anything for you? I would die for you!"

Crystal gulped back her emotions as Nicholas continued to gaze into her eyes, pleading for her forgiveness and love.

"Perhaps it wasn't all your fault, then, Nicholas, but another point was proven. We are too powerful to be together, and your feelings for me are too strong. We must be separated, now and always," she said, tears streaming from her eyes as she spoke.

"Crystal…"

"There is no other way! Our feelings are getting in the way of our senses!"

Nicholas stood up slowly and allowed his hand to rise and brush Crystal's cheek. He had regained his composure, somehow finding his inner strength, and knew that what she said was true, at least for the time being.

"Very well then, Queen Crystal of Yavin. Farewell," he said and then bowed politely before turning to face Obi Wan. "I am ready to be fixed up now."

Obi Wan nodded and then helped Nicholas out of the cabin.

"I will be back in a moment to assist you, Crystal," he said as the room's door slid shut behind him and Nicholas. Neither man saw Crystal bury her face in her hands and sob miserably.

The door opened a few seconds later, and Padme walked quickly into the room. She caught sight of Crystal and did not say anything as she sat next to the wounded Jedi. She wrapped her arms tightly around Crystal and moved the queen's head gently onto her shoulder. Crystal willingly sobbed into Padme's shirt, and after a few minutes, she quieted down.

"Are you all right?" Padme asked quietly and Crystal nodded.

"Yes. I don't know what to do about my leg, however."

Padme nodded and moved away from Crystal. She pulled Crystal's pant leg up a bit and glanced worriedly at the deep cut that was embedded in her lower leg.

"I must take care of this quickly, before it gets infected! It will certainly have to be sewn up!" Padme said, squeezing Crystal's hand gently.

"I know. You may as well get it over with," Crystal nodded and then put her hand on her leg. "That is the least of the pain," she whispered as Padme turned to a medical tray next to her.

"I know," Padme said, gently pushing a strand of hair out of Crystal's face and looking the Jedi in the eyes. "But you and Nicholas are making the right decision."

Crystal sighed and turned her face away. "Sometimes I don't think that's true," she sighed quietly.

Chancellor Arin personally escorted Crystal out of Obi Wan's ship when it landed on Yavin two days later. He thanked the Jedi and Padme for their assistance and then turned and led Crystal into the palace. Crystal would not allow herself to look back at the ship, for she knew Nicholas was watching her, and they both were heartbroken.


	15. Nightmares of the Future

**Thank you again so much to everyone who is reviewing! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fifteen: Nightmares of the Future**

Months began to pass, and the palace members of Yavin noticed a great change in their queen. The shining, brilliant light seemed to be gone from Crystal's beautiful eyes, and her cheerfulness seemed only to be an act to cover over some great pain. They kept her updated on the news of Coruscant, as she had asked, but she rarely sent Coruscant messages in return. She learned that shortly after the battle with Nicholas, Anakin and Obi Wan had been sent to find Chancellor Palpatine, who had mysteriously been captured. Their journeys had brought them to the Outer Rim, and they had not yet returned to Coruscant. The Jedi masters had noted Nicholas' half-heartedness as well, and he had been kept on Coruscant and had been given the responsibility of training some of the Jedi Padawan. He devoted his time to the children, and his work with them took his mind of Crystal a bit, just as her work with her people helped ease the pain of her separation from him.

It was with great surprise one morning, three months after Anakin and Obi Wan had left Coruscant, that Crystal was awakened to hear a knock on her bedroom door.

"Your majesty! Your majesty!"

Crystal jumped out of her bed and raced towards her bedroom door, grabbing a robe and throwing it over her nightgown as she did so.

"What is it?" she asked, opening the door to see Senator Eleanor standing there anxiously.

"Senator Amidala from Naboo has just arrived!" The senator said worriedly.

"Why are you so distressed?" Crystal asked, closing her door behind her.

"Because she was completely unexpected, and her ship arrived and landed very quickly! We are completely unprepared!" Senator Eleanor panicked.

"Do not worry, Senator. I will greet Senator Amidala."

"But your clothes, your majesty!" Senator Eleanor gasped as Crystal began to walk towards the staircase.

"It is very early in the morning, Senator. Senator Amidala will not be upset to see me in this outfit," Crystal smiled and then began to walk gracefully down the stairs.

Padme was just emerging from her ship when Crystal stepped outside and caught sight of her.

"Padme! What brings you here?" Crystal asked, running to her friend and enveloping her in a hug.

"I wanted to see you," Padme said quietly, and then glanced behind her as C-3PO, Anakin's droid, walked stiffly down the ship's ramp.

"We have plenty of room for you and your guards, of course," Crystal offered, turning Padme towards the palace.

"Thank you, but I didn't bring any guards with me," Padme smiled as the ramp to the ship closed.

"What?" Crystal asked, stopping and looking worriedly at Padme.

"I came alone, with C-3PO."

"Padme, what is wrong?" Crystal asked, taking her friend's hand in hers.

"I am frightened, Crystal," Padme said, her voice quivering a bit.

"Frightened? By what? What happened?" Crystal asked, leading Padme into the palace courtyard and having her sit down on a stone bench.

Padme took a deep breath and then smiled nervously.

"I suppose you already know. After all, you are the Undefeatable Jedi."

"I have my suspicions. Of course, if I wanted to, I could read your thoughts and know what happened, but I want you to tell me," Crystal said, sitting down next to her.

"I am pregnant," Padme said quietly, and Crystal smiled.

"Congratulations, Padme! How wonderful!" she said, giving Padme another hug and glancing at her stomach. "When will the baby be born?"

"In a few months. I have known about it for a little while and have been able to conceal it, but Crystal, I am frightened about what Anakin will think, or what the entire galactic government will think if they find out! If the Jedi masters hear of it, Anakin will be expelled from the order and my reputation as past queen and senator will be destroyed! What should I do?" Padme asked, tears in her eyes.

"For now, stay here for a little while. Does anyone know you are gone?" Crystal asked, putting a comforting hand on Padme's shoulder.

"Yes. The Naboo court knows, and I believe the Jedi masters were informed that I left. I can't contact Anakin, but I am sure that someone will let him know I am here."

Crystal smiled and nodded. "Good! Then you can stay here with me for a little while and let me enjoy your company! It's been so long since I have seen you!"

"Can we perhaps go to your country home, Crystal? I don't want anyone to find out about my pregnancy, and I do love that home."

"Of course we can go there, if you wish. For now, you must come into the palace and get some rest while I prepare for the day. C-3PO has already gone inside, it seems," Crystal said, standing up and leading Padme into the palace.

"How is your leg now, Crystal?" Padme asked as they entered the palace.

"It is almost completely restored, thank you."

A short while later, Padme and Crystal were walking towards a transportation vehicle that was waiting right outside the palace.

"How is everything faring on Coruscant?" Crystal asked as they entered the vehicle.

"As well as can be expected. Everything is well on Naboo as well. I have been asked to go to a meeting there in a few days, and you have been invited, of course," Padme smiled.

"I have never been to Naboo. It would be a pleasure to go there," Crystal said as the door slid shut and the driver of the vehicle started up the engines.

"I must warn you in advance, Crystal. Nicholas has taken some of his students there. He doesn't know that you will be coming. Obi Wan suggested he go there as a change of scenery, and he suggested that the children would enjoy Naboo much more than they would Coruscant," Padme said.

"That won't stop me from coming. How is Nicholas?" Crystal asked quietly.

"Much changed, and I don't think it's for the better," Padme sighed. "He has grown much older in the past few months. His face shows lines of weariness, and he is beginning to become much like Obi Wan. He is very calm, very respectful, and very tired. It was also suggested he leave Coruscant because of the worries he has there. I wasn't told what was concerning him, but I have heard rumors that every night, guards pass by his door and hear him pacing his room or sometimes even crying."

"Things have gotten worse on Coruscant," Crystal said softly, with a touch of worry in her voice.

"The Supreme Chancellor has been taken, Crystal. The whole embassy is in turmoil now," Padme explained.

"No, that's not it," Crystal said, shaking her head. "The Supreme Chancellor is also the galactic Emperor, therefore, he wasn't truly captured, he came up with another plan. I'm concerned about what he's up to. If it weren't for my own senators and chancellor, I would go find Anakin and Obi Wan and help them. However, my people won't let me leave after what happened last time."

"I cannot blame them. They almost lost you, Crystal," Padme said, but Crystal was deep in thought.

Nicholas was disturbed, enough to harm his character, and because he was, whether or not he chose to believe it, the Undefeatable Jedi, Crystal was greatly concerned as well. Something terrible was going to happen, and she would have to go against her fear of speaking to Nicholas again and would have to question him.

Padme was able to relax greatly at the country house, but she found with concern that her companion, usually so calm and cheerful, was not able to rest. For while Padme was able to sleep easily every night, Crystal found that she could not erase Nicholas from her thoughts. She would get out of her bed late in the night and go outside. There, she could see the great waterfalls, a light blue in the moonlight with the starlight reflecting dazzlingly off the falls. Whenever she looked at the sky, she could hear her name being called, in a faint, plaintive whisper. She soon learned that the call was something that had truly been inside of her for a very long time, and she had just overlooked it, but now, its call was powerful, showing her the truth. Nicholas was a part of her, whether or not she had ever desired it to be so. His pain was hers, even when they were galaxies apart, and she could feel, more than hear, that she was needed.

"Crystal, I believe we should leave for Naboo today," Padme commented one morning at the breakfast table.

"Why? The conference doesn't start until tomorrow evening," Crystal asked tiredly, gazing up from her plate.

"Because something is greatly troubling you, and I want you to be at peace."

Crystal smiled and shook her head. "I thought you liked it here, Padme."

"I do, but I cannot enjoy it when you can't, and we can come back after the conference," Padme said.

"Are you sure?" Crystal asked, standing up.

"Yes."

"Thank you, Padme. I will contact the senators and tell them I am leaving for a short while to go with you, although I am sure they know of it already," Crystal said.

"They do. I spoke to them last night," Padme smiled. "Just get ready to go. We will stop back at the palace before we go into space."

Crystal nodded and then left hastily, anxious to get to Naboo.

The beauty of Naboo was impossible to overlook as Padme flew her aircraft towards a great domed palace after having dropped it out of hyperspace. She saw Crystal's tense face lighten up a bit at the sight of the beautiful palace and the circular shaped trees below.

"You were queen once of this beautiful place?" Crystal asked as the ship began to drop to its landing pad.

"Yes. Unlike your planet, I was elected to the throne. I cannot imagine what it must be like to inherit a kingdom and have to stay with it," Padme smiled as she unbuckled her straps. "Nice and easy, wasn't it, C-3P0?" She grinned as she stepped past the droid and towards the open hatchway.

"Yes," he stammered and then stepped next to Crystal. "Although frankly, I much rather would have had R2 with me. He had to go with Master Anakin, however," he sighed and then stumbled after Crystal, who was already walking down the ramp.

"Where do the Jedi train here, Padme?" Crystal asked as she trotted after Padme to catch up.

"Once we get to the top of these stairs, I will show you," Padme said, and then both women began to walk gracefully up the stairs, stepping onto a large, wrap-around open corridor. "It is on the other side of the palace," Padme explained as she led the way towards the other side of the corridor. "Queen Jamilia has requested to see you before I bring you to your rooms. While here, she has said that you will be free to roam Naboo as much as you like."

"Thank you," Crystal said as they rounded the corner.

"There. There is the Jedi building. After the attack on Naboo so many years ago, it was determined that, out of gratitude, the Jedi should have their own designated place here," Padme said, pointing to a small domed building a short distance away. It was surrounded by water fountains and trees and had many open windows, causing it to look warm and inviting.

"It seems to be a very pleasant place," Crystal said, catching sight of two children playing ball by one of the trees. One child threw the ball straight into the air, and the other, with an invisible arm, pulled the ball towards him. "Training exercises," Crystal whispered to herself as a guard opened a large, intricately designed door.

"Queen Crystal of Yavin and Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo," the guard announced, and several people stood up in the large room that the two women stepped into.

Crystal immediately knew who Queen Jamilia was. She was dressed in a heavy, blue fur dress with an extravagant headpiece hiding her hair. Her face was white with a thin red line across her lips.

"Queen Crystal, a pleasure it is to see you," she said gently, and then smiled at Padme. "As always, a pleasure having you back as well, Senator."

"Thank you," Padme said, curtseying politely.

"You are welcome to stay here for as long as you wish, and we would be honored to have you at our conference," Jamilia said, turning to Crystal again.

"Thank you. Naboo is very beautiful. I shall enjoy my stay here," Crystal smiled.

"Will you be going to the Lake Country after the conference?" Jamilia asked, looking at Padme.

"If her majesty of Yavin wishes to," Padme replied.

"Very good. As for now, Captain Typho, please lead the queen and senator to their rooms and see to it that their baggage is taken out of the senator's ship," Jamilia commanded a dark-skinned, muscular guard who towered above her.

"Yes, your majesty," he replied with a bow and then stepped in front of the two ladies. "If you will both come with me, please."

"Where does Queen Jamilia wish us to stay?" Padme asked as the women were led out of the room and back into the corridor.

"On the East Wing, my lady. You will each have an extravagant suite, of course. How did the journey here go?"

Crystal saw the sincere look of concern come into Captain Typho's one, uncovered eye as he looked at Padme.

"Quite well, thank you, and if it hadn't, I have Queen Crystal with me. She is an undefeatable Jedi, one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy," Padme commented.

"Indeed, I have heard much about your ladyship," Captain Typho said politely to Crystal.

"And I have heard much of you, Captain."

"Crystal, the day is still young. Would you care to go for a walk through the palace grounds with me after we have been shown to our rooms?" Padme asked, turning her head to look at Crystal.

"I would like that very much," Crystal nodded.

Crystal didn't take much time to look at her room; she merely noted the location in order to find it later. She and Padme left the rooms almost as soon as they arrived at them, and they walked down a great flight of stairs to the palace grounds. There was no grass on the ground, but great white tiles that shone beautifully in the sun, and looking closely at them, one could see the reflections of the great water fountains that graced the land.

"It must be difficult for you to often leave this place," Crystal commented as they drew near the Jedi training center.

"It is. Coruscant has its own nice features, but Naboo is home," Padme sighed and then smiled. "It appears some of the children are outside again."

As Crystal walked nearer to the children, she could hear a soothing, familiar voice giving instructions from beneath one of the round trees.

"Falin, don't move so fast. You must move slowly and effectively before you can move quickly."

A little girl with a brown ponytail and a brown robe nodded her head obediently and swung her lightsaber slowly, intercepting the mechanical device that encircled her.

"Very good! Claus, the same instructions go to you!"

A shiver went through Crystal as she caught sight of the speaker.

Nicholas was standing casually against the tree, his arms crossed casually as he watched the children hard at work, his green eyes looking even darker due to the small beard on his face. They didn't seem to have the shine in them that Crystal remembered so fondly, and his face wore an expression of complete exhaustion. He looked as though he was half-asleep almost, but suddenly, Crystal saw him shake himself, as though awakening from a dream, and look her way abruptly. His eyes came to rest on her, and for a split second, the shine came back into them before it went back out again, leaving the lifeless, dull look in his eyes. He didn't take his gaze off of her, and she didn't remove her eyes from his.

"Master Nicholas?"

Nicholas glanced down to see a little boy standing in front of him, lightsaber closed.

"What is it, Master?" the child asked.

"Children, you may close your lightsabers for a moment," Nicholas said, glancing at Crystal again. "This is Queen Crystal of Yavin. Bow politely now. One of such high standing must be treated with great respect."

The children turned and faced Crystal and then each one bowed politely. Crystal smiled at them and then looked back at Nicholas. He could see that her eyes were moist, and it pained him, but he knew that there was nothing that could be done about it. He bowed to her, a deep, sincere bow, and then stood up again and turned to his students. He began to instruct them again, and Crystal sighed unhappily.

"Come, Crystal," Padme said from her side. "We must be going."

Night fell, and all was silent inside the walls of the Jedi Academy. Crystal crept silently through the building, dressed in a black jumpsuit. She listened carefully as she walked through the buildings' halls, searching for Nicholas' apartment. It was not difficult to find. The second hall she stepped into brought with it feelings of distress and despair, and although Crystal couldn't hear anything, she could feel great pain and suffering. She quickened her pace and ran down the hall, stopping by the room where the feelings of horror were strongest. She stood directly next to the door and listened as gasps and shouts were emitted from within.

"No! No! It can't be! Help! Somebody help! It's just a dream! Obi Wan! Obi Wan! Help me!"

Crystal was about to open the door when the shouts suddenly stopped and she heard someone swing violently out of bed and land on the ground next to it. She left then, running down the hall and leaving the building.

"The rumors are true," she whispered to herself as she walked quickly back to her suite. "He is having trouble. I must know what is happening!"

Crystal awoke the next morning and stepped onto her balcony, wrapping her robe tightly around her as the crisp morning air rushed up to meet her. Another presence caught her attention, and she turned abruptly to see a cloaked figure standing quietly at the railing of the balcony, his back turned towards her.

"Nicholas?" she asked, moving quickly towards him.

"Hello," he answered, turning his head to face her.

She came to his side and stood next to him, looking up at him worriedly. "Why are you here?"

"I know we are supposed to be separated, but I also know that you were outside my room last night. What were you doing there?" Nicholas asked, looking at her tiredly.

"I was trying to see if the rumors were true. I had heard that you have been unable to sleep and have been pacing your room or crying both in Coruscant and Naboo."

"Why should that concern you?" Nicholas asked with a sigh.

"Because…as much as I wish you weren't, you are part of me, and I can feel that something is wrong. What is it?" Crystal asked, putting her hand on his arm.

He looked at her, studying her face, trying to find the strength to talk to her. "I have been having dreams," he said quietly. "Horrible dreams, every single night since you and I parted."

"What about?" Crystal asked gently, and Nicholas looked away from her and shuddered.

"Anakin, mainly, but also myself. He's after Anakin, Crystal."

"Who?" Crystal asked with shock, stepping away from him.

"Palpatine, and he will stop at nothing to get him. I keep seeing him, Anakin. His eyes are yellow and he wears a hood to cover his face. Every time I wake up, the same thing happens. I see those yellow eyes for a few seconds, embedded in the ceiling in a way, before they disappear and I am left gasping."

"What does that have to do with you?" Crystal asked worriedly.

"In those dreams, I am there, standing next to Anakin, angry beyond all reason. I can feel the anger surging through me as I sleep, Crystal, and I am scared by it. I can feel hatred as I sleep, and also, indescribable despair. I want to get to Anakin, but I can't. Now you know the truth. Something horrible is going to happen, or is happening, and there is nothing I can do about it."

Nicholas' shoulders slumped, and Crystal stepped next to him again. She put a hand on his shoulder and studied his face carefully. He was truly terrorized by his dreams.

"Is it possible, Nicholas, that the Emperor is putting those things in your head at night?"

"Why would he?" Nicholas asked, gazing into Crystal's eyes, his own bloodshot.

"You are stronger than I am. You are one of the only people that can see his plans, that know who he is, and that can possibly stop him. You are his greatest threat. He wants you to join him, and he will stop at nothing until you do," she said, beginning to shiver as she thought about what she was saying.

"What can I do?" Nicholas gulped.

"Stop him, Nicholas! Stop him before it is too late. I don't know how, but you, _we_, must do something to stop the Emperor from destroying the Jedi. I'm not sure how to do it."

"Why is it you couldn't see the things that are going to happen? Whole planets are going to be destroyed, Crystal," Nicholas said, his forehead creased with concern. "Why am I the only one seeing this?"

Crystal sighed and glanced down, ashamed. "I have had my mind on other things lately, Nicholas. I haven't been in Coruscant where I can see what is happening."

"What other things that are so important have you had your mind on?" Nicholas asked, lifting her face towards him.

There were tears in her eyes as she answered, "How unfair it is that we can't be together."

A stray tear landed on Nicholas' hand, and he forgot about his fears and the future for a moment, and pulled her close to him, squeezing his eyes shut tightly to try and keep back his own tears.

"I think about that too. I remember Obi Wan saying that the force isn't a hokey religion, it's a tool, but more and more lately I have been thinking that it is some type of religion, a religion that is keeping us apart when by all means we should be together. We are the two strongest Jedi alive. We should be a team, able to stop anything that comes our way," he said quietly.

"But it can never be," Crystal murmured, moving away from him. "It can never be."

Nicholas stood silently, once again trying to overcome his feelings. And once again, as so many times before, he cleared his thoughts and looked at the woman he loved with calmness and understanding.

"I must go tend to my students. We will be leaving tomorrow."

"Be careful," Crystal sighed.

"I need you to help me, Crystal. If you sense anything at all, let me know. You and I are the only ones whose thoughts are clear now," Nicholas said, and Crystal looked up at him, her dark eyes meeting his.

"I am afraid for you, as I have been so often before. For just as the Emperor is hunting down Anakin, he wants you as well, and you aren't yielding to him. He will try and destroy you."

"I'll be ready for any attempt," Nicholas said and then bowed politely. "Excuse me, my lady. Oh, Padme may wish to know that Anakin will be returning sometime in the next four days to Coruscant. Farewell."

He walked over to the balcony railing and swung off, landing easily on the ground below. He looked up at Crystal and saluted once before he turned away and walked back towards the training building. Crystal sighed sadly and then turned away from the balcony. She was deeply pained, both by Nicholas leaving her again and the strange, troublesome dreams that he had been having. His turning to the dark side, if ever he did, would be the greatest tragedy the galaxy had ever faced.


	16. Rise of the Sith

**Here you are! A rather suspenseful chapter! When my friend and I came up with this story years ago, Episode 2 had just come out, so we had no idea what Episode 3 was going to be like. We had several ideas for how Anakin turned into a Sith lord, but after watching the movie, we changed the story to flow more with the movie. Please let me know what you think of this chapter! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Sixteen: Rise of the Sith**

Everyone was in a panic as warning sirens began to go off in the Galactic Senate building of Coruscant. Nicholas raced out of his room, charging into the midst of many creatures running through the corridor in complete worry.

"What is happening?" he shouted, but no one would answer.

All ran towards the large windows that flanked the senatorial building on all sides. Nicholas pushed past the crowds, racing for the stairs that led to the roof. He took the stairs two at a time, and with a mighty force shove, sent the door to the roof swinging open. He passed through it and then closed the door behind him as he ran towards the edge of the roof.

Everywhere there were signs of panic. Speeders collided with each other as they raced to get away from a great pillar of smoke that was careening at an incredible pace towards one of the landing strips. Nicholas immediately recognized the cause of the panic, a great ship, plummeting towards land, the rear part of it completely missing, and the place where that part of the ship had been in flames. As it drew ever closer to land, he caught sight of the ship's pilot and gasped.

"Anakin?" he whispered, the force carrying his voice to the one whom he had spoken to.

"_Everything is all right, Nicholas,"_ Anakin replied, but Nicholas could feel the tension in his friend's voice.

Nicholas didn't waste anymore time, but charged into the building, flew down the stairs, leaped into an elevator, and soared towards the bottom of the building. Once there, he ran outside and towards the great space ship that was over a mile away from the building.

Nicholas' training, both as Vanisher and as a Jedi knight, caused him to have great speed as well as endurance, and he ran throughout the unattractive city life of Coruscant to get to the landing strip. He leaped over several rapidly moving speeders, dodged throughout masses of creatures, and finally skidded to a stop directly next to the landing strip. He was just in time to see the ship drop onto the strip and slide for several long seconds before it finally slammed to a stop, sending loose objects from inside the hull crashing through the front windows and ejecting hundreds of pieces of broken ship high into the air.

Not wasting any time, Nicholas ran to the ship and used the force to break off one of the hundreds of windows that covered the ship.

"Anakin?" he shouted, and Anakin immediately appeared through the smoke, Obi Wan and Palpatine leaning heavily on his arms.

"Hi Nicholas! Long time no see," he tried to say pleasantly, but his voice came out more choked than comical.

"Are you all right, Master Obi Wan?" Nicholas asked, and Obi Wan nodded.

"Just fine, thank you."

"Where is General Grievous?"

"He escaped."

"And Count Dooku?"

Obi Wan looked at Anakin, and then looked back at Nicholas. "He's dead."

"Dooku?" Nicholas gasped, astounded.

"Yes. Anakin killed him in order to save me," Palpatine explained, and both Obi Wan and Anakin were surprised when Nicholas glared at the Supreme Chancellor, not a trace of kindness on the young man's face.

"You don't say," he said, his quiet voice veiled with threat. "And pray tell, _Chancellor_, where has General Grievous gone?"

"How should I know that? You treat me with the greatest disrespect," the chancellor said, great shock in his voice.

"Maybe if you hadn't tried to destroy my comrade, the Queen of Yavin, I wouldn't be so angry. But I doubt that would have made much of a difference in my feelings towards you," Nicholas said, suddenly reaching out and grabbing the chancellor by his collar.

"Nicholas, cut it out!" Anakin exclaimed, but Nicholas continued to glare into the chancellor's eyes.

Anakin reached out to try and pull Nicholas away, and to his utmost astonishment, he found that Nicholas had a grip of steel, a grip that no amount of force would be able to release.

The chancellor was held in that uncomfortable position, inches away from Nicholas' scowling face, for only a few seconds before Nicholas suddenly let him go and stepped back.

"It is good to see you back safely, Master Obi Wan, Anakin," Nicholas nodded and then turned and began to walk away.

"Nicholas, wait a moment!" Obi Wan called, chasing after Nicholas as guards hurriedly encircled the chancellor and escorted him to a transportation vehicle that would bring him to the Galactic building. "What has gotten into you?"

"I'm tired of pretending that we are on good terms with the chancellor! When will we destroy him?" Nicholas shouted, spinning around violently.

"Nicholas?"

Nicholas lowered his head suddenly and lowered his voice. "I apologize, Master. I should not have let my temper go so quickly."

"What is troubling you?" Obi Wan asked, putting a hand on Nicholas' shoulder as the two stepped into Coruscant traffic.

"Chancellor Palpatine is the galactic Emperor that Crystal has been speaking about. To make matters worse, he is trying his best to turn Anakin over to the Dark Side, and he wants to kill me."

"Why kill you?" Obi Wan asked worriedly.

Nicholas turned to face him, his dark green eyes glowing brilliantly. "I am the Undefeatable Jedi," he said calmly, Obi Wan hearing his voice perfectly, but too stunned to believe he heard it.

"What?" he found himself stammering, stepping away from Nicholas.

"I am the Undefeatable Jedi, as well as Crystal. Palpatine knows that. Of Crystal and I, I am the strongest, and so he wants me dead. I nearly killed Crystal on the Star Destroyer, Master. I would have, were it not for her sudden thinking that saved her."

"But there's only supposed to be one Undefeatable Jedi, and Crystal's the one!" Obi Wan gasped.

Nicholas stopped walking and put his hands on Obi Wan's shoulders.

"Obi Wan, look into my eyes when I say Crystal's name. Think of all the times you've seen me when I've said her name. What do you see?"

Obi Wan looked carefully into Nicholas' brilliant eyes. "I see…love," he said calmly.

"It is a love that surpasses everything. Together, Crystal and I form the strongest team that this galaxy has ever known. Separated, we are little more than powerful Jedi knights. When we are together, we are each other's weakness, because we will die to save each other. When we are apart, we die because our team has been broken. Palpatine knows that Crystal can be destroyed. If he kills me, half of her, so it seems, could die. Not physically, but spiritually. If she is killed, perhaps the same could happen to me. I don't know why he wants me dead and her alive. Perhaps it is because she is the queen of an entire planet, and he wants it. It's a very complex situation. Palpatine must be destroyed before he destroys others. He wants to seduce Anakin to the Dark Side, and if he does, many others will suffer."

Nicholas began walking again, and Obi Wan stared at his face incredulously, respectfully.

"We must bring you and Crystal back together again," he said, and Nicholas bowed his head, shaking it sadly.

"No. It will never be permitted. You know that."

"You must go to her then, and leave the Jedi Order behind. It would be for the best of everyone," Obi Wan said, and Nicholas glanced at him.

"I promised you that I would always obey the Order, whether or not I want to."

"But if you and Crystal were made for each other…"

"I cannot break a promise because of love, Obi Wan. I am also needed here. Soon, I fear, Anakin is going to need me, and I need to be ready for him."

Obi Wan rejoined Anakin and the Supreme Chancellor in the transportation vehicle while Nicholas went to the Galactic Building and slipped quietly into Palpatine's office. The red walls sent shivers up his spine, but he continued through the room until he came to the chancellor's desk. He didn't touch the desk, but moved to a large statue that stood behind it. Once he was next to it, he took a tiny device, no larger than the head of a needle, triggered a tiny switch on it, and placed it on the back of the statue's head.

"You're a good man, Mike Solo," he whispered, and a voice immediately came through the small, almost invisible microphone tucked under Nicholas' hair behind his left ear.

"I didn't think you'd actually say that!" Mike's voice came in, and Nicholas grinned.

"Keep your piece under the water fountain in my room," he instructed and then turned to leave the room.

Many days passed, no one knowing that the tiny microphone was in Palpatine's room and that the other piece of the microphone was completely hidden behind Nicholas' ear. He heard everything that went on in that room and knew that Anakin had been instructed to stay with the chancellor often to find any evidence of his being the Emperor. An unseen ear heard every word that was spoken between the chancellor and Jedi knight. Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda both left on separate missions, leaving Nicholas, Anakin, and Mace Windu alone with several of the other Jedi masters.

Several mornings later, a light knock on Nicholas' apartment door caused him to stop listening to one of Palpatine's conversations and turn to face the door. He immediately sensed the quiet, gentle nature of Padme and, using the force, opened the door for her.

"Come in, please, Padme," he said, and Padme walked gracefully inside, Nicholas catching sight of her stomach and noting the size as she sat down on a couch by the water fountain.

"How do you fare, Padme? You must be very glad to have Anakin home with you," Nicholas said, and Padme looked up at him with a small smile.

"I didn't come here to discuss normal, every day life with you, Nicholas," she said, and Nicholas frowned slightly.

"What is the matter?"

"Anakin has been having dreams," Padme said worriedly. "Dreams like those that you have had. He tosses and turns and then gets out of bed and paces."

"Ah, his dreams of you dying in childbirth," Nicholas nodded.

"How did you know?" Padme gasped.

"I heard him speaking to someone about them. Someone who promised to help him save you."

"Nicholas, what is happening?" Padme asked, tears in her eyes.

"Today the Jedi Council will be told who the Emperor is."

Padme stared at Nicholas with amazement. "You already knew, didn't you?"

"I've known that almost as long as I have known Crystal. It's Palpatine, Padme."

"What will happen? Please, Nicholas, tell me."

The tears in Padme's eyes caused Nicholas to soften his expression. "I don't know everything, Padme. I cannot see what is going to happen, but Crystal might."

"Nicholas, I am afraid."

"I know," Nicholas nodded. "I am too."

Shortly after Padme left, there was another knock on the door, this one violent and rapid, as though caused by someone who was full of fear. Nicholas ran to the door and flung it open.

"Jedi meeting," Anakin said, his voice hoarse and his face ashen.

"Anakin, settle down. It's not your fault," Nicholas said calmly, putting his hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"You were right. Palpatine is Lord Sidious."

"He will be dealt with appropriately, I am sure," Nicholas said, stepping out into the hall with Anakin, the door closing behind him.

"He's been so good to me. Surely they won't just kill him," Anakin said, and Nicholas stopped him and turned to face him.

"He is Lord Sidious, Anakin, the Galactic Emperor! He wants only to destroy you! Listen to me, Anakin, I beg you!"

Anakin studied Nicholas' face, a look of despair in the young Jedi's green eyes. "I wish Master Obi Wan and Yoda were here," Anakin said slowly. "They would see that justice is done. Mace Windu, I am afraid, will simply have Palpatine killed."

"You are too attached to him, Anakin! Free yourself before it is too late! I beg you! He wants you to join the Dark Side! He put those horrible dreams in your head! Let go of him!" Nicholas pleaded, shaking Anakin roughly, a tear streaming down his cheek.

"Why don't you have any confidence in me, Nicholas? I won't turn to the Dark Side."

"You would to save Padme from a fate that isn't true! Those dreams will only come true if you allow Palpatine to live! Anakin, listen to me!"

"If Palpatine must be killed, then maybe he must," Anakin said slowly, and then, to his utmost amazement, Nicholas leaned forward and threw his arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"You have been a brother to me, Anakin. I beg you, don't do anything foolish. You will be tried, tried horribly. Don't turn from the good side. Withstand the trials just as you have withstood everything else."

Anakin listened to Nicholas and then allowed himself to hug the young man in return. "You are my brother, Nicholas. I will try not to do anything to upset you. Now come. We must go to the meeting."

Half an hour later after the fateful meeting in Coruscant, many light years away, Crystal was sitting quietly in her throne room, listening to Chancellor Arin as he read off some industrial reports. She was nearly falling asleep, due to the heat and dullness of the reports. A voice suddenly cut into her thoughts, and she sat up abruptly.

"Someone just died!" she exclaimed, and Chancellor Arin looked up from his paper.

"I beg your pardon, my lady?"

"Someone just died!" she repeated, standing up and moving towards the room's doors.

"Who?"

"I am not sure, but something terrible is happening. I must get to Coruscant! Have someone prepare my ship!"

"But my lady…"

"Chancellor, I am needed by the Jedi. This is an emergency! I must go!"

Chancellor Arin wisely said nothing more, but hastily left the room, calling out orders as he left.

Crystal hastily got changed into a black jumpsuit and clipped her lightsaber to her belt. Another voice came to her as she worked, this time anxious and instructing.

"_Crystal, Coruscant needs you. Quickly you must go." _

Yoda's quiet voice disappeared, and Crystal raced out into the hall, passing Chancellor Arin along the way.

"I will be back as soon as I can!" she called and then ran outside to her ship. The engines had already been started, and she eagerly ran up the ramp and to the cockpit. She sat down hastily in her pilot seat and then pulled a headset on.

"I'm off!" she called over her headset.

Crystal used the force to trigger the ship's speed, arriving a short while later in Coruscant. A feeling of incredible horror overcame her as the ship dropped towards the planet's towering skyscrapers. An ugly, red hue covered the surface of the planet, and more voices began to fill her mind, screams for help, cries of agony, and one long, continuous cry of despair.

"I'm coming!" she called back, lowering the ship onto a landing pad atop the senatorial building.

"_Crystal, get out of there!"_ Nicholas' voice called above the din of other voices.

"What?" Crystal asked, panic flowing through her.

"_Don't go into the senatorial building! Come to the Jedi temple, quickly! There's not much time!"_

Heeding the voice, Crystal got out of her ship quickly and walked to the edge of the landing strip. Land was hundreds of stories down, and she noticed, as she stood at the edge, that a cold wind was blowing and the sun was rapidly setting. She could smell smoke but could not detect where it was coming from.

"_Get out of there!"_ Nicholas' voice came back, and without another thought, Crystal jumped over the edge of the landing pad.

Thirty seconds of free falling passed before Crystal began to slow herself, catching hold of various transportation vehicles, which allowed her to land gently on the ground. She ran to the Jedi temple, leaping through the open entranceway when she arrived. A powerful, evil feeling overcame her, and she could feel a terrible, unknown danger beginning to approach her.

"What is it?" she whispered, running a little deeper into the temple and then turning to look back in the direction from whence she had come.

She could not see anything, but the evil became stronger with each passing second, rapidly approaching the point of unbearable. Crystal squinted to see through the entranceway, and as she did so, an invisible hand suddenly reached out from nowhere and grabbed her. Before Crystal had a chance to scream, she had been pulled twenty feet up into a tunnel in the ceiling. She gasped with surprise as she was engulfed in darkness, and the entrance that she had been pulled through was closed with a panel of vented metal.

"Don't say anything," Nicholas whispered, covering her mouth with his hand as they both lay down flat in the tunnel.

"Where are we?" Crystal asked.

"I made this tunnel, knowing you were coming."

"What is happening?"

Nicholas was about to answer, but the eerie, dark feeling reached its climax, and he put his hand back on Crystal's mouth, put his arm around her shoulders as though to protect her from some unseen evil, and gestured to the vents in the metal board.

Less than five seconds passed before the sound of hundreds of feet could be heard echoing through the great entranceway, and eerie shadows became visible on the floor beneath Nicholas and Crystal. Both powerful Jedi trembled as the people producing the noise suddenly came into view. A large, cloaked man became visible, dressed completely in black as he stalked past where the Jedi were hidden, followed by hundreds of people in white armor, soldiers that Crystal recognized as being the clones from Geonosis.

As soon as the parade was past, Crystal's thoughts suddenly became clear, and she pushed Nicholas' arm away from her and gasped with horror.

"The children! Nicholas, the children!" she grabbed him, trying to get him to listen to her.

"Be calm. I have hidden all that I could. Many of the Jedi escaped by ship before this happened," Nicholas said, taking her hand in his.

"But what of the rest! Nicholas, they will be killed! We must do something!"

"Even we, the two greatest Jedi in the galaxy, cannot stop what is about to happen. The leader was Anakin, Crystal. He is too angry, and has too powerful a group of men, for us to stop."

"Anakin?" Crystal asked in anguish.

"Yes, Anakin. He has turned to the Dark Side. The reign of darkness has begun."

"We must stop him!" Crystal exclaimed and pulled the grates away from the floor.

"No Crystal! There is nothing that either of us can do. If you go down there, you will be killed and all will be lost," Nicholas said. "Someone else is going to need your help."

"Who?" Crystal asked, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Padme, Crystal. She is going to need you. Anakin will go to her soon, and then you must go with her wherever she goes. I will stay here and finish off whatever clones stay here."

Crystal was trembling with horror, and Nicholas put his hand on her cheek comfortingly.

"There is nothing you can do. You have a beautiful, tender heart. Go back to the senate building and remain unseen by everyone except Padme. Hatred is about to be stirred up against the Jedi, but Padme will need you. Go, and go carefully, my queen."

Crystal nodded and dropped through the hole, landing silently on the floor below. She began to run out of the temple, going quickly towards the senate building. Nicholas took a deep breath, preparing himself for the horrid sights that he was about to see, and then dropped down through the hole after her.

Padme, Crystal found several minutes later, was in emotional turmoil. Crystal found her standing on her balcony, gazing out at the speeders that whizzed past, a hand on her mouth and tears pouring from her eyes. Padme heard Crystal coming towards her and turned rapidly. Crystal didn't give her a chance to speak, but put her arms around the senator and squeezed her gently.

"It's all right, Padme. Shh… You will be okay."

"I must find Anakin, Crystal. He told me where he would be, and I am going to go to him. I am so afraid! What if something has happened to him?"

"You must not go alone," Crystal said quietly. "Please, bring me with you."

Padme pulled away from her and studied her through tear-covered eyes.

"You may come, but let me speak to Anakin. Don't interfere with what I do," Padme said.

"I will not interfere unless I feel that something dangerous is happening," Crystal answered.

Fifteen minutes passed before Padme's ship lifted into the air above the senatorial building and then flew into hyperspace. Crystal sat quietly by Padme's side, watching as the senator flew her ship skillfully, hardly paying attention to anything that she was doing. She was terrified, beyond all understanding, and Crystal understood that Padme knew Anakin had something to do with the whole nightmarish situation on Coruscant. She could also feel energy coming from Padme that the senator would not have had otherwise. She tried to soothe Padme as they flew through space, tried to calm her in order to calm the small living person that was inside Padme.

"We are here," Padme said a short while later, allowing the ship to begin dropping.

"Where is here?" Crystal asked, glancing out the cockpit window and catching sight of a fiery red planet.

"Mustafar," Padme replied.

"It looks kind of dangerous," Crystal commented, but Padme didn't answer.

Several times, as Padme prepared the ship for landing, Crystal found herself taking deep breaths of relief. The planet, it appeared, was made completely of lava and lava rock. Volcanic eruptions surrounded the silver ship as it landed on a rocky landing pad, and many crumbles of molten lava broke off as the ship settled into place. The heat from the planet could be felt even through the ship's protective, cool shield, but the evil that filled the planet flooded Crystal's mind and sent shivers throughout her body more than any overwhelming heat could.

"Are you sure you don't want me coming out with you?" Crystal asked worriedly as the ramp to the ship dropped and she caught sight of Anakin standing a short distance away, his face covered by a hood.

"I am sure. Do not interfere unless it is absolutely necessary," Padme said, walking quickly down the ramp.

Crystal watched as Anakin suddenly began to run towards Padme. She held her breath expectantly as he neared the senator, and was about to begin breathing comfortably again when feelings of great hate suddenly surged from Anakin. She was uncertain what to do, but another presence in the back of her mind sent her turning to see another robed figure behind her.

"Obi Wan! What are you doing here?" she gasped.

"Anakin will not treat Padme any differently than he treated the children on Coruscant. I will have to do something," Obi Wan said unhappily.

"But you can't, Obi Wan! Anakin loves Padme, loves her with all the love he has! Surely he won't harm her!"

"Anakin and Padme were never meant to be together, Crystal, and Anakin already had too much pride and bitterness when they were married. It is too late to save him, but it isn't too late to save Padme."

Crystal opened her mouth to interpose, but the sound of Padme gasping for air caused her to run towards the ramp in order to protect her friend.

"Stay here!" Obi Wan commanded, leaping down the ramp and running towards Padme and Anakin.

Crystal watched with blurred vision as Padme fell to the ground and Obi Wan drew his lightsaber. She felt as though she was in another galaxy, a galaxy that she had never known with people she had never met. Anakin was a dark lord, she could see it by the ugly contortion of his face and even more, could feel it by the anger that surged from the young man as he suddenly ignited his own lightsaber and charged his previous master. All honesty and concern for others was gone from Anakin, and he and Obi Wan became engaged in a battle that quickly took them out of Crystal's sight.

As soon as both men were gone, Crystal ran down the ramp and dropped next to Padme.

"Padme! Padme!" she cried out, putting her hands on the senator's face.

Padme's eyes flickered open and she looked up at Crystal.

"It's true," the senator cried softly. "Anakin is no more."

"Don't say that! There is always a chance!" Crystal said, her tears dripping onto Padme's shirt.

"I need help, Crystal. I can't get up."

Crystal nodded, and with a force grip, she lifted Padme into the air and placed her in her arms. The expression on Padme's face broke Crystal's heart as she carried the senator back into the ship. There was a look of lifelessness on Padme's face, a look that showed she had nothing left to live for, nothing left to love.

Many long minutes passed, minutes that seemed like hours, before the anger that was radiating from Anakin suddenly became stronger, and Crystal put her hands to her head to try and hold out the bitter hatred that was exploding from the young Sith lord. She could not, and tears streamed steadfastly down her cheeks as she heard, inwardly, Anakin crying to her for help. The cries only lasted a short while before they were replaced with screams of wrath and bitter hatred. Crystal collapsed onto the floor of the ship, huddled up, trying to protect herself from the evil that was raging so closely. She could hear lava pounding near the ship and the sound of crashing structures, and she wanted, more than anything else, to be away from the planet, to escape from Anakin, whose agony caused her to want to save him.

"Crystal?"

Crystal looked up, her eyes bloodshot and dirty tears streaming steadfastly down her face, to see Obi Wan standing in the doorway to the cockpit, greatly exhausted and disheveled. He did not say another word when he saw the young queen of Yavin, every muscle in her face tight with anxiety and pain. He stepped over to her, took her hands in his, and slowly lifted her to her feet. She collapsed against him, sobbing wretchedly.

"Oh, Obi Wan! Obi Wan, what have I done? What have I done?"

"You have done nothing wrong, Crystal."

"I could have warned everyone, could have forced them to believe me! Instead, I did nothing, and now everyone that is still alive is in grave danger, and Anakin is an enemy, and Padme is in great pain!"

"Calm yourself. You could have done nothing. It was not your character to force your way upon others," Obi Wan said comfortingly, leading her to a chair and helping her sit down. He knelt at her feet and gazed up into her eyes steadfastly. "Nothing was your fault," he repeated. "You could have done nothing."

Crystal took a deep breath, trying to control herself and calm herself. A sudden movement from the cockpit entrance caused both Jedi to turn their heads. C-3PO was standing nervously in the doorway.

"Senator Amidala is not doing well," he said stiffly.

Crystal stood up and moved towards the entranceway to the cockpit.

"Get us out of here, Obi Wan. I will take care of the senator," she said quietly.

Obi Wan nodded his head and sat down in the pilot's seat. He started the ship and then sat back as it lifted off the lava planet and soared into hyperspace, never looking behind to see enemy ships hovering near the lake of lava, retrieving the wretched form of a man who was all too soon to become one of the deadliest Sith lords to plague the galaxy.


	17. Beginning of the Dark Times

**The next chapter is up! Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

**Chapter Seventeen: Beginning of the Dark Times**

"You have a son, Padme."

Padme opened her eyes slightly and gazed at the baby that was being held before her.

"Luke," she whispered weakly.

A few minutes later, another baby was born and she was also put in front of her mother, to be seen one time.

"Leia," Padme murmured, then glanced up at Crystal who sat next to her, squeezing her hand tightly.

"I know there is still good in him," Padme said tiredly, glancing at Obi Wan and then Crystal.

"Of course. You will be well, Padme. Think of all those times on Yavin we spent together! I will take you back there and then, and then…" Crystal began.

Crystal's voice became a choked whisper as the beautiful senator from Naboo closed her eyes wearily, never to open them again. Crystal stood up, a figure of complete beauty even in the midst of the tragic situation. Her long hair lay against her back in a beautiful braid, and she was dressed in her jumpsuit from before. Though the suit was burned and torn in several places, the queen of Yavin still looked beautiful.

Crystal did not feel beautiful. Her heart was broken in more places than one, and as she gazed at her dear friend from Naboo, lying still on the delivery bed, all composure left her, and she wailed miserably. She could not bear to remain in the room with Padme's body, and she left, her head bowed and her hands covering her wet eyes.

She had failed everyone, it seemed. Had failed Padme, Anakin, Mace Windu, and everyone else that had been killed or destroyed. She did not know where to turn, but stood in the hallway near the delivery room, face drenched with tears and her body quaking violently.

So absorbed in mourning was Crystal that she did not hear a footstep near her. She did not look up as two arms suddenly wrapped themselves around her and another head was placed atop her own, sharing her grief and comforting her.

"It is all right. Everything will be all right," the familiar, gentle voice spoke, and Crystal buried her face in the shoulder that was offered to her.

"I could have done something! I could have stopped Anakin, or saved Padme, or destroyed the Emperor!" she sobbed, allowing the arms about her to squeeze her more tightly.

"You would have been killed. Even the most powerful Jedi could not stand in the full wrath that was raged against everyone."

"Nicholas," Obi Wan said quietly, stepping next to the young Jedi as he held his beloved queen close to him.

"Yes?"

"There is the matter of the twins that must be discussed."

"Just a moment, Obi Wan. Give us just a moment. We will be right there," Nicholas said, glancing up at Obi Wan, his dark green eyes clouded, as though with tears, as he put his head back on top of Crystal's.

Obi Wan knew better than to interfere this time. Crystal needed Nicholas to be there, needed it very badly. He could see her beginning to calm down in Nicholas' grasp. Her shaking became less violent, her sobs quieter, and she stopped blaming herself for the whole catastrophe.

"Join us in the meeting room when you are ready," Obi Wan said quietly and then left, leaving the two alone.

"Are you all right?" Nicholas whispered to Crystal.

"Yes, I will be all right," she said, nodding her head slowly and then pulling away from him.

Crystal looked up at Nicholas as they walked towards the meeting room a short distance away. His face showed that he was extremely tired. He was burnt in several places, and his blonde hair was dirtied with ashes and debris. His sleeves on his tunic were either missing or badly charred, and he had several bloody scratches on his bare arms.

"What happened to you?" Crystal asked worriedly.

"I rescued several of the Padawan. The whole temple was in flames," Nicholas said quietly.

"I'm so glad you are safe," Crystal gasped as tears began to stream down her face again.

"My love, I will always escape somehow. That is part of the gift that I have," Nicholas said, stroking her cheek with his hand quickly before they entered the meeting room.

It was a sorry sight that met their eyes. Only three living beings waited for them in the room, Obi Wan, Yoda, and Senator Organa. Compared to the vast amount of Jedi knights and masters who had once assembled together, the scene was pitiful.

"First and foremost, we must determine where to bring the children," Obi Wan said, watching as Nicholas and Crystal sat down.

"They must be brought somewhere that Anakin will refuse to look. Of course, he might not even know that Padme had the children, which would make things much easier," Nicholas said, transitioning back into his role as Jedi knight.

"Queen Crystal, you have something to say," Senator Organa noted.

"Luke must be brought to Tatooine. Anakin will refuse to go there," Crystal said softly.

"I will take Leia. My wife and I have always wanted a daughter. She will be safe enough on Alderaan and will be raised as royalty, as I believe her mother would have wished," Senator Organa said.

"Who will care for the child on Tatooine?" Yoda asked, his lips curled

"Anakin has family there. Owen Lars will most likely take Luke. He will take good care of him," Obi Wan said.

"That brings us to the matter of who will bring them and what is to be done with ourselves and Senator Amidala," Nicholas spoke, standing up.

"Padme must have a proper funeral on Naboo. Nicholas, you must escort Obi Wan to Tatooine with Luke, and I will escort Senator Organa to Alderaan with Leia," Crystal said quietly.

"After, into hiding we must go," Yoda said sadly.

"The three of you must. I must return to Yavin and resume my duties as queen," Crystal said, turning her head when she heard the door to the room open.

One of the delivery droids entered the room, Luke and Leia crying in his arms.

"As to the matter at hand, the babies must be fed," Crystal said, standing up and taking the twins from the droid.

"I will care for them now. R2, please bring their bottles over here," she commanded, sitting down with the twins.

R2-D2, who was carrying two bottles of warm milk in his mechanical claws, put the bottles on the table in front of Crystal. She immediately began to feed the babies, watching them with delight as they drank hurriedly from their bottles.

"Luke looks a lot like Anakin," she commented with a smile. "And Leia has her mother's eyes."

"Precious, the life of a child," Yoda said, shaking his head as he recalled how many children had been killed that day.

"May I hold Luke, Crystal?" Nicholas asked, moving over to her and looking over her shoulder at the children.

A sudden vision appeared in Obi Wan's mind as he watched Nicholas leaning over Crystal's shoulder, smiling with fatherly love at the children. He could somehow see Nicholas in the future, bending over Crystal's shoulder again, gazing at another small baby, his hand holding the baby's with rapturous delight.

"Yes, Nicholas. Here."

Crystal shifted a bit and helped get Luke into Nicholas' arms. The two sat together, holding the babies, gazing at them with both sadness and hope.

"We must bring them away as soon as possible. What of Anakin's and Padme's droids, though?" Obi Wan spoke presently, shaking himself.

"I will bring the droids with me, after their memories have been erased," Senator Organa said, standing up. "Now then, are both the babies fed?"

Crystal nodded, watching Leia curl up in her arms. "Yes, they are."

"We must go our separate ways then. Nicholas, come with me," Obi Wan said, gesturing to Nicholas and then walking towards the entranceway to the room.

"Crystal, come with me. I will bring this ship to Alderaan. Along the way, we will bring Padme to Naboo. You can fly her ship as an extra shield alongside," Senator Organa explained as he walked towards the front of the Alderaanian ship.

"All of you, be careful," Obi Wan said as he and Nicholas began to walk down the corridor to their two ships that were docked in the larger one.

"Wait!" Crystal called, standing up and walking towards Nicholas, Leia still in her arms.

"Let them see each other one last time," she said softly, standing next to Nicholas so that the babies were directly next to each other.

Each baby gazed at the other with wide, wondering eyes, and a tear dropped from Crystal's cheek as she contemplated the thought that the babies would be separated for a long time, if not for their entire lives.

"Dear little Luke, perhaps you are the promised one that was spoken of. Perhaps you will be able to turn your father back to the good side in time. May you grow up to be a mighty warrior and a mighty attribute to the force," Crystal whispered, putting her hand on Luke's head before she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"And Leia, precious Leia, I hope you will be a great leader as well. How tragic it is that your life must begin in such darkness," Nicholas sighed brushing his finger against Leia's cheek before he stepped away and began to follow Obi Wan down the corridor.

"Be careful, you two! May the force be with you!" Crystal called after them.

"The same to you!" Obi Wan replied.

Nicholas followed Obi Wan to his ship and then held Luke out to him.

"Here. I think you should keep Luke with you, and I will run interceptor if the need should arise."

Obi Wan nodded and held out his hands. He placed Luke in a small spot next to him and positioned the baby's blanket comfortably on him. He then put some straps over the baby, fastened them carefully, and looked up at Nicholas.

"If anything should happen, Nicholas, I know that you will be able to protect us," he said confidently.

"Thank you. I will lift off as soon as you do," Nicholas said and then turned and walked quickly towards his ship.

Five minutes later, Nicholas was navigating his X-Wing carefully in front of Obi Wan's fighter. The young Jedi's mind was far away as he flew. He thought about Crystal, her love for the twins, and the peculiar, wonderful feeling of warmth that he had felt while standing behind her and gazing at the babies. His love for her was great, he knew, greater than any other love he had known. Perhaps there was some way he could convince the remaining Jedi masters that he and Crystal were meant for each other. Perhaps there was some way…

A sudden beeping caused Nicholas to slap out of his thinking and glance at the fighter's computers. Five red dots appeared, moving steadfastly towards him.

"Obi Wan, how much longer until we get to Tatooine?" he asked, preparing the X-Wing's missiles for battle.

"Another thirty minutes."

"Speed up. We are being confronted."

"Right."

Nicholas used the force to evaluate the oncoming fighters. They were certainly enemies.

Within five minutes, they were there. Five clone ships, flying at high speeds towards Nicholas, their lasers firing nonstop. Nicholas tossed his X-Wing about, firing rapidly at the ships, always keeping in mind that he had to protect Luke at all costs. Obi Wan assisted him a bit with the attack, and after only a few moments, all five enemy fighters were destroyed or damaged.

"There's Tatooine," Nicholas said with great relief an hour later.

"Where exactly is Mos Eisley?" Obi Wan asked.

"On the other side of the planet."

It took several more minutes for both fighters to encircle the planet, coming up on the complete opposite side. Half an hour passed before they were able to get into the atmosphere, and it was with a long sigh that Obi Wan looked at the small moisture farm where Owen and Beru Lars lived.

"There isn't any better planet we could bring Luke to?" he asked.

"No. Anakin won't ever come back here after everything that has happened," Nicholas said and then prepared his X-Wing for landing.

A few seconds later, both fighters had landed, and Obi Wan climbed out of his cockpit with a sleeping Luke in his arms.

"I will speak to the Lars," he told Nicholas. "They have heard of me, I am sure."

"I will stay near you, just in case I am needed," Nicholas said, taking his gloves off and putting them back in his ship.

It was not a surprise to either Jedi when both Owen and Beru walked cautiously out of their home to greet them. It was a very rare occurrence that any fighter ships landed at a moisture farm. Both Tatooine citizens were quiet in nature, and it disturbed them that two great ships had landed on their property.

Obi Wan spoke with the newlyweds, and as he did so, Nicholas turned away from the group and walked to a small rise near the house. He stepped on top of it and watched as Tatooine's moons began to rise as night drew closer. At least Luke would have such a beautiful scene to see every night. There was something very special about the boy, and Nicholas could only hope that living on Tatooine would not snuff out that special something that the baby had.

"Nicholas, it is time to leave. We need to meet up with Master Yoda," Obi Wan said minutes later.

"Where is Crystal?"

"She is bringing Senator Amidala to Naboo. She will explain to Queen Jamilia what has happened."

"Will we see her again, Obi Wan?" Nicholas asked, turning away from the moons to look at him.

Obi Wan did not answer, but placed a hand on Nicholas' shoulder. He could feel a great feeling flowing from Nicholas, a feeling he had never felt in such power before. From Nicholas radiated a feeling of passion and love that surprised Obi Wan.

"After we meet up with Master Yoda, then we shall go into hiding, never to be seen again?" Nicholas asked, beginning to walk towards his X-Wing.

"That is the plan."

"I cannot do that, Obi Wan. Crystal needs me. I know it is hard for anyone to understand, but she needs me, and even more, I need her."

"I am sorry, Nicholas, but destiny would have us hide."

"That isn't my destiny, Master Obi Wan," Nicholas said, removing Obi Wan's hand from his shoulder. "The Undefeatable Jedi cannot help anyone if he is hidden away."

Obi Wan did not speak to Nicholas as they flew towards their appointed meeting place with Yoda. He was very deep in thought and grief. He had just lost Anakin; must he also be separated from Nicholas? Anakin was a brother to him, but Nicholas was a son, and he loved that young man deeply.

Crystal and Yoda were waiting for Obi Wan and Nicholas when they arrived at the meeting place.

"Trouble along the way, did you have?" Yoda asked as the Jedi entered the appointed room.

"Only a little bit, Master Yoda," Nicholas said, sitting down next to Crystal.

"And now the matter at hand. It is evident that we are too outnumbered by enemies to fight. We must hide where they can never find us," Yoda said.

"So instead of fighting, we must play the coward and flee?" Nicholas frowned.

"Learn from Master Windu's fate, you must. Great power had he. Save him, it could not."

"Nevertheless, the entire galaxy will be needing help. I cannot hide. My strength will be needed," Nicholas said firmly.

"Master Yoda has a point, Nicholas. What good could you do if you are dead?" Obi Wan asked.

"What about Crystal? She can't possibly hide."

"I will be safe at Yavin," Crystal said.

Nicholas sighed and then shrugged his shoulders. "Very well then. I'll hide, but I will come back out if I am needed. I am going to keep in direct contact with Yavin, Alderaan, Naboo, and Tatooine. If anything happens, I will be there."

"That is fair enough," Obi Wan said.

"Then we must part," Yoda nodded gravely, getting off of his chair and walking slowly to Crystal.

"Great you are, Queen Crystal of Yavin. A powerful ally and force in times of trouble."

"Thank you, Master Yoda," Crystal said with a curtsy as she stood up.

Yoda turned to Nicholas, his ears drooping a bit as he frowned.

"And you, Undefeatable Jedi that you are, take care. Resist always the Dark Side of the force."

"I will, Master Yoda," Nicholas bowed.

"To Dagobah I will go. Obi Wan, come with me to my ship. Much to discuss, have we," Yoda spoke, turning to Obi Wan.

"Yes Master. First, I wish to say farewell to the Undefeatable Jedi," Obi Wan said, getting out of his seat.

Crystal and Nicholas met him before he could get to either of them.

"Master Obi Wan, I will miss you terribly, but I will see you again," Nicholas said as both he and Crystal put their arms around Obi Wan and held him tightly.

"You have been a dear, dear friend Obi Wan," Crystal said quietly.

Obi Wan held both Jedi in his arms, and his eyes became full of tears.

"My two dear friends, I shall see you again, but until then, may the force be with you. Do what you can for the galaxy. The dark times are upon us, and everyone will need you terribly. Farewell," he said as he pulled away from the two and began to walk towards the hangar where Yoda was waiting.

"Farewell, and my the force be with you!" Nicholas called.

Obi Wan turned, saluted, and then continued on his way.

After Obi Wan was out of sight, Nicholas turned to Crystal. "I will escort you to your ship, my lady."

"But I wish you could escort me to the end of the galaxy," Crystal said, tears streaming from her eyes as she threw her arms around Nicholas and sobbed. "Must we be parted forever?"

Nicholas could not answer, but held her tightly, his own eyes shut tightly to withhold the tears from falling freely. "We will meet again," he whispered. "I know it."

"But meeting once again is not enough, Nicholas. It is not enough," Crystal said, pulling away from him and beginning to walk hastily down the corridor.

Nicholas walked respectfully behind her, knowing that an inner battle was raging in the beautiful queen that he could not disturb.

Crystal walked all the way to her ship without turning, but when she reached the ladder that led to the cockpit of her ship, she turned and gazed at Nicholas fondly and for many long seconds.

"Take heed, Nicholas Jade. The Emperor will want to find and kill you."

"I will, my lady. Let me know if you are ever in need of my services."

Crystal opened her mouth to answer but then bit her lip. Nicholas could feel pain within her, and he stooped low before her and took her hand in his. Then, without another word, he kissed her hand.

A wave of love, stronger than any other feeling Crystal had ever felt, shot through her and sent shivers up her spine as Nicholas held on to her hand a few seconds longer and then pulled away.

"A true kiss would be commitment, my lady. That kiss was a promise," Nicholas said, beginning to walk backwards towards the entrance of the hangar. "It was a promise that whenever you need me, whether you let me know or not, I will come to you and be there for you."

"You shouldn't make such promises," Crystal whispered hoarsely.

"As the undefeatable Jedi, I can afford to make a promise like that," Nicholas said with a small smile, and then he turned and left the hangar.

Nicholas' heart was beating wildly as he heard the sounds of engines roaring from the hangar. He gazed with steadfast determination towards where his ship was waiting, and his face hardened as the roaring of the engines turned into a scream and then disappeared entirely. He would see her again, whether or not he was committed to the Jedi cause. Crystal needed him, and even more so, he knew, he needed her.


	18. Clones

**Here is chapter eighteen! Thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Eighteen: Clones**

A month of darkness and evil passed. News flashes across the galaxy constantly brought more terror to its audiences. Little by little, planets were being invaded by clones who brought with them violence and no mercy. Even bounty hunters and smugglers, the most hard-core and unconcerned beings in the galaxy, were beginning to feel threatened, as though no matter how hard they tried to hide from the vast empire that was growing, they would not be able to escape.

Jabba the Hutt was one of the crime lords that felt pressured. He feared that his power over the citizens of Tatooine was being challenged by the strange clones and their powerful leader, and decided, after hearing of great space battles and captivity, to send three of his greatest bounty hunters, all of them trained by Vanisher himself, to find where the clones were being generated.

Three days later, true to their training, the hunters returned to Jabba.

"Jabba?"

Jabba looked up from his dinner to see the three men standing before him, heavily armored.

"Did you find the place?" he asked.

One of them nodded and stepped forward, careful to avoid standing over the grated floor that hid Jabba's vicious pets.

"The main factory is located on the moon planet of Endor. It is deep in the woods, difficult to find."

"It will also be difficult to destroy," another hunter declared.

"Only Vanisher would know how to destroy it," the last man nodded.

"Then find Vanisher," Jabba replied simply.

The three men glanced at each other worriedly before they looked at their leader.

"It is impossible to find Vanisher, my lord. During our training, towards the end of three days, he would often show himself to us in order to help us find him, so to speak. He would leave a clue or something, but since the last time he was here, he has completely disappeared," one of the men gulped.

"I know how to find him!" A voice called from the far end of the room.

"Come here, Solo," Jabba growled.

Mike Solo stepped forward nervously, moving tentatively onto the grated floor.

"I know how to find him," he said nervously.

"Find him then, and bring him here," Jabba grumbled.

"Yes sir. I'll be back in less than a week," Mike nodded and then left the room hastily. He knew of the danger the clones posed and was just as eager as the rest of the galaxy to see them destroyed. And, although he wasn't actually sure where Nicholas Jade was, he knew someone that could tell him.

Later, Mike allowed his ship to drop out of space and enter Yavin's hemisphere.

"Identify yourself," a voice said over his headset.

"Mike Solo from Tatooine."

"What brings you here?"

"I need to speak with Queen Crystal of Yavin. It's urgent."

The voice on the other end was silent for a short while.

"Her majesty?"

Mike nodded. "Yes. This is urgent, and I haven't much time. If you could please give me somewhere to land, I would appreciate it."

"Landing pad 104 near the castle," the voice said again and then stopped entirely.

Mike brought his ship to land at the appropriate landing pad and noticed, as he did so, that several guards were standing at the path that led to the castle.

"Morning!" Mike called as he stepped down his ship's ramp and walked towards the guards.

"You wished to see her majesty?" the guard, who was evidently in charge, asked.

"That I did."

"Follow us please."

Mike was led into the castle and was just approaching the throne room when Crystal stepped out of the room to greet him.

"Hello Captain Solo. What is the trouble?" she asked worriedly.

"It's a confidential matter," Mike said uncomfortably, looking at the guards.

"Guards, you may leave. I will be alright," Crystal smiled, and they immediately left, though hesitatingly.

"What brings you here?" Crystal asked.

"I need to find Captain Nicholas Jade. It's very important," Mike said. "Do you know where he is?"

"I don't know where he is, but I do keep in contact with him. What is he needed for?"

"Jabba's men found a great cloning chamber on the moon of Endor. We will need Vanisher's help to eliminate it."

"Very well. Come with me please, Captain," Crystal said, and she led him into the communications room.

One switch later, Nicholas' voice cut into the silence of the room.

"What is it?"

"Nicholas, Mike Solo is here to speak to you."

There was silence for several seconds from Nicholas before he finally spoke.

"Yes Mike?"

"There is an urgent matter that Jabba needs your help with, Vanisher."

"Forget it. I want nothing to do with Jabba, and none of his cronies know where I am, so you can tell him forget it," Nicholas said easily.

"Perhaps you would be more interested if I told you it was about a cloning plant where hundreds of clone troopers are being produced every day?" Mike said slyly.

Again, several seconds of silence passed before Nicholas spoke again.

"Cloning plant?"

"Yes, for those troopers who are working for the Emperor."

"Crystal, what do you think?" Nicholas asked.

"It sounds very dangerous if they need your help," she said gently.

"But Vanisher excels when it comes to danger," Mike said even more slyly than before.

"Jabba needs me that desperately?" Nicholas sighed.

"No! No! _Jabba_ doesn't need it. The _galaxy_ does."

"Stop with the cunning Mike. I can see straight through it. What's the catch?"

"You ensure that Jabba's power remains in his hands, that's all."

"How can he keep power in his hands if he can't even keep his food there?" Nicholas asked.

"Please Vanisher, we need your help! And if I don't get your help, Jabba will probably kill me!" Mike said, getting exasperated.

"Oh, fine. I'll be at the palace in a few hours," Nicholas sighed.

Crystal and Mike heard a click from the communication device and then Mike turned towards the door.

"Where should I wait for him?" he asked.

"Stay in the conference room. I will wait for him," Crystal said and gracefully stepped past him and left the room.

It was a glorious afternoon, Crystal noted as she stepped outside, guards going before her and following behind her at a respectful distance. The queen was troubled, all could tell, by her tight mouth and narrowed eyebrows. None had heard the conversation with Nicholas, but all knew that it must have had something to do with the clones or the Empire that was daily making news throughout the galaxy.

The hours of wait seemed to be never-ending to Crystal, and it was with great relief that she saw an X-Wing with gold-tipped wings landing. Before the hull even opened, she ran to the fighter and waited anxiously at the foot of the great ship.

Nicholas didn't take the time to take his gloves off as left his ship, clambered down a ladder, and approached Crystal. He took her hands in his and smiled reassuringly.

"No need to look so disturbed, my lady," he said, letting go of one of her hands and leading her towards the palace with the other.

A friendly cheeping nose caused both Jedi to turn their heads and catch sight of R2-D2 sitting quietly in his nest on the X-Wing's wing.

"Come on down, R2!" Nicholas called. "We will be inside the palace."

"Where were you, Nicholas?" Crystal asked as they stepped into the palace.

"Mustafar, actually."

"Mustafar?" Crystal gasped.

"Yes. The buildings there are quite unique, and they are also deserted now."

Mike was very eager to see Nicholas, and he immediately began talking to the great Jedi. Nicholas listened carefully to everything Mike had to say, paying special attention to the reports about the cloning factory, the location, and the amount of guards that were there.

"I suppose I will be going to Endor then," Nicholas sighed when Mike was finished.

"I will assist you, if you wish."

"I will need more than just your assistance. I will need at least thirty soldiers, since we don't really know much about how well the unit is being protected," Nicholas said. He stroked his chin thoughtfully and then snapped his fingers. "Contact Jabba and let him know that I am coming to Tatooine," he said.

"You are going to Tatooine?"

Nicholas nodded. "I am going to need the help of some smugglers, bounty hunters, and, if a couple of Jedi I know agree, I will need their help as well. First and foremost, I need to speak with Jabba."

Mike nodded and then spoke. "I am going to my ship now to contact Jabba. He will have no problems letting you come to Tatooine, I can assure you. As soon as you are ready to leave, I am ready."

"I will be at my ship in a few minutes, Mike," Nicholas said.

"Very well then. Farewell, your majesty. Vanisher, we leave in a few minutes," Mike said, bowing slightly to Crystal and then leaving the palace.

As soon as Mike was out of sight, Nicholas took Crystal's hands in his and smiled reassuringly at her.

"It looks as though Jabba's men have a sure target on the clones," he said.

"The mission sounds dangerous."

"There is more troubling you than just that," Nicholas said calmly.

"Yavin is threatened by the clones as well. The people are afraid, and for a good cause. Other systems have been overtaken or harassed. Our turn will soon come," Crystal said quietly, pulling away from Nicholas and stepping over to a small water fountain that bubbled merrily in the center of the room. She put her hand beneath the water, allowing its relaxing foam to flow softly across her hand.

"You and your people will remain safe, Crystal. I assure you," Nicholas said calmly, gazing at Crystal as she stood quietly.

"How can you assure such a thing? You will not be here to see to it that your words are practiced," Crystal sighed, glancing up at him and then glancing away again.

Nicholas said nothing more, but walked over to the beautiful queen and wrapped his arms protectively around her. "I will be here for you," he whispered, and Crystal put her head back against him.

"You must not always feel responsible for my safety. I am also one of the undefeatable," she said calmly.

"You are my love, the one I desire and care for the most. Because of that, I am responsible for your safety and your happiness. Neither of us, it seems, have been very happy lately. Perhaps after more of the clones are destroyed, we shall have more comfort and peace," Nicholas whispered.

"There are far too many of them, and all are under the power of the Emperor. It would be impossible to destroy all of them," Crystal sighed. "But never mind that. You must go to Tatooine. If you need my assistance at all, please, let me know."

"That I will," Nicholas said, hugging her tightly and then releasing her. He left the room, going quickly towards his X-Wing and calling to R2 to prepare to leave.

In less than five minutes, both fighter planes had lifted away from Yavin and were moving rapidly in Tatooine's direction.

Nicholas was given permission to land close to Jabba's palace, and he did so quickly. He clambered out of his cockpit, ordering R2 to stay with the ship, and then began to run towards the great palace door. Rather then waiting for someone to open the door for him, he climbed up the wall next to it, pulled himself onto the roof of the large, domed building, and punched a code into an almost invisible door in the roof. It lit up for a few seconds, and then the door slid open. Nicholas dropped through it, landing in a dark, tunnel-like corridor. He crawled on his hands and knees for ten yards, and then put his hand up against the left wall. He pressed a small button that was there and then took a deep breath, preparing to drop. Two seconds later, he fell through the ceiling, landing right in front of the doorway that led into Jabba's throne room. No one saw where he came from, and he walked calmly into the throne room.

Nicholas had not taken the time to change into his Vanisher costume, nor did he care to wear it any more, so no one stopped to greet him or stand back in awe as he walked through the masses of aliens and humans. He came to a stop, directly in front of the grated floor, and gazed at Jabba. He was suddenly disgusted with his past way of living, disgusted that he had followed the orders of such an obese, unattractive alien. He knew that he had great power, enough to control Jabba's mind and get the bounty hunters he needed, but he decided to remain respectful and trust that Jabba's affection for him in the past would now be a great ally.

"Jabba."

Jabba looked up from his food and blinked uncertainly at Nicholas. "What is it you want?" he asked, frowning as he recognized the dark clothing that he had come to associate with Jedi.

"You wanted my help, Jabba, so here I am."

"Vanisher?" Jabba exclaimed, food dropping out of his grubby hands as he recognized his dear friend.

"That's right. Just as you need my help, Jabba, I need yours. I will go and see what I can do about the cloning factories if you give me men to assist me in my mission," Nicholas said confidently.

"How many men do you need?"

"Give me twenty well-trained bounty hunters and smugglers, and I will be satisfied."

"I cannot sacrifice that many men," Jabba growled.

"Then I cannot sacrifice my life for your reputation," Nicholas replied, eyebrow raised.

Jabba made a sound that appeared to be a sigh, and then sat back a bit. "You are a Jedi. Can't you do everything?"

"No. Even as Vanisher I couldn't do everything. You know that Jabba."

"Would you pay me for the time of my men?"

"Not one cent, Jabba. I am doing this to save you face, as well as to protect the galaxy. I would much rather not have to deal with high-functioning clones that have been trained to kill me and all other innocent people."

"I'll give you fifteen men," Jabba bargained.

"Jabba…" Nicholas began, but Jabba held up one of his hands.

"I only have fifteen that I could spare, and only fifteen that would be of any assistance to you. When are you going to Endor?"

"As soon as I have my men," Nicholas frowned.

"Very well. I will send them after you. As soon as your ship lifts off, they will be there."

"Thank you, Jabba."

"Vanisher, do you truly not want to come back?" Jabba asked.

"No, I don't. I have a higher calling now," Nicholas said, turning away from the Hutt with a brief salute.

A few minutes later, Nicholas' X-Wing lifted off Tatooine, followed closely by fifteen fighter planes of all colors, sizes, and speeds. From the way the ships looked, Nicholas determined that he had with him twelve smugglers and three bounty hunters. He recognized Mike Solo's ship, as it flew closely behind him, and he sat back in his seat with a bit more confidence. Questions from R2 were written rapidly across his computer screen, and he smiled.

"What, R2?"

After reading the screen, Nicholas chuckled.

"No, we aren't being chased. These are my friends, in a strange sort of way. No, I don't need you to prepare our missiles. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. Soon enough, you'll be hobbling along through thick foliage and over great roots. Rest yourself."


	19. Victory

**Thank you everyone who has been reviewing! I really appreciate it! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Nineteen: Victory**

Nicholas hadn't been too certain of Endor's atmosphere when he spoke to R2, but as soon as the planet came into view, he knew that his guesses about the planet had been correct. As his ship neared the great planet, he was awed by the green that covered the immense sphere. There was hardly any water, it seemed from his aerial view, and he eagerly looked at his maps, flying towards where the cloning factories had been discovered. He spoke to his companions, informing them of where they would be landing, and then tried to relax as he lowered the X-Wing and flew precariously over hundreds of trees, amazed by the simple beauty of the wild forest below.

Every pilot had difficulty landing his ship, due to the thick foliage and the lack of open space. Most ships were landed atop great tree roots and rocks. Some of the ships, due to their excellent technology, were able to land in the great branches of the trees.

After all of the pilots had ejected from their ships, they gathered about Nicholas. Any other man would have had to fight hard not to chuckle at the appearances of some of the men and aliens, but Nicholas had grown up with such beings, and he treated them all with equal seriousness and respect.

"The cloning factories are ten miles away from here," Nicholas explained. "I didn't want us to land too closely because everyone working there would have heard our engines. Here's the plan. I will bring five of you into the factory with me. The rest of you will surround the factory in case of an emergency. There will be other ships arriving shortly with a supply of soldiers from Yavin and Naboo, as well as, I hope, one of my dear friends. I am sure the factory will be heavily guarded, and you must all expect there to be great challenges. I will keep in touch with you by way of headset. Any questions?"

"What are we to do if something happens to you while you are inside the factory?" one of the smugglers asked.

"Then my dear friend, Obi Wan Kenobi, will take command. If something happens to him, Mike Solo will be in charge."

"Me?" Mike gasped, greatly honored and surprised.

"Yes. You have helped me in more ways than one so far, Captain Solo," Nicholas said with a smile and then turned again to the other men. "Let's go and get this done as soon as possible."

If there had been anyone hiding amongst the trees during the next two hours, they would have been terrorized by the sight that could be seen in the woods. Fifteen of the galaxy's toughest, most vicious men, were climbing across fallen trees, cutting through brush, and moving at an extremely rapid pace. In front of them was a handsome young Jedi, not at all concerned with the vicious group that was following him and only occasionally gesturing for the soft-footed men behind him to be a little bit quieter.

The cloning facility seemed to be vacant, but a quick sensing with the force informed Nicholas that the place was full of life. He could not tell how many men were in the factory. Two of the smugglers moved about one of the walls and quickly found a secret doorway. Nicholas was just about to cut through it with his lightsaber when a sudden disturbance in the back of his mind caused him to gesture for all of the men to get down.

Another mind suddenly touched Nicholas', and he let out a sigh of relief. The brush in front of the group of men parted, and out stepped Obi Wan. He took one step and then hesitated, gazing at the blasters, bowslingers, thermal detonators, and other weapons that were aimed steadily at him.

"Well, hello to you too," he greeted uncomfortably.

"Weapons down," Nicholas ordered and then stepped through the crowd and gave Obi Wan a hug. "You came," he smiled.

"Of course I came. The soldiers are all a short distance behind me. What are the orders?"

"I am going into the factory with five men. Everyone else will stay out here and prepare for battle. The smugglers have already covered all cameras and other such devices on this side of the wall, but everyone inside is probably suspicious now and will be out here any minute."

"You are only taking five men with you?" Obi Wan frowned.

"Yes, but don't worry. They were all trained by the best trainer they could possibly have," Nicholas said as the side door suddenly slid open and his five escorts slipped quietly inside.

"Whom, may I ask?" Obi Wan frowned.

"Me," Nicholas grinned and then slipped inside after the men, the door sliding shut behind him.

"That boy is in for trouble," Obi Wan sighed and then turned to the rest of the group from Tatooine.

Nicholas and his men stepped into a dimly lit corridor, orange lights giving them faint light as they walked silently together. Nicholas kept his senses constantly before them, determining how many people were near them and if any of them had detected their presence yet. So far, no one knew that they were inside, but everyone in the building was strangely energized, as though ready for battle.

Two minutes later, Nicholas looked over his shoulder and whispered to his men.

"There are at least fifteen people up ahead. We are about to enter the cloning chambers."

The men nodded in response and prepared their weapons.

Suddenly, the smugglers were there. Hundreds of water filled tanks became visible before their eyes, but they didn't look at those long. Guards began to fire at the invaders from a hallway that stood high above the tanks. Nicholas' men were fast, and in only a few seconds, they were running through the cloning tanks, going towards another door, trying to determine where the weakest point in the building was. To everyone's surprise, the floor suddenly opened below them, and they fell to the ground below, landing with a clattering of armor and several groans fifteen feet down.

"Nicholas, they are about to engage us in battle!" Obi Wan's voice whispered over Nicholas' headset. "They are sending out some strange machines right now. They look like some four-legged mammals of sorts."

Nicholas was about answer, but lasers suddenly flew through the air across his head, and he fell to the ground, crawling alongside the other men as they crawled rapidly beneath the lasers.

"They found us! I have to go!" Obi Wan suddenly shouted, and laser fire and explosions drowned his voice out.

"That's great! I think we are almost at the weakest point of the building. They certainly have this place trapped well enough! I'll have someone tell you when we've put the explosives in place!" Nicholas said and then shouted as guards suddenly ran into a corridor behind the lasers. They opened fire on the bounty hunters and smugglers, who returned the attack.

As soon as Nicholas and the men were on their feet, they charged the guards, but whenever they managed to knock down one row of enemies, more appeared.

"Clones!" one of the bounty hunters shouted.

"I know! It's too dangerous in here for all of you! All of you get out! I'll have to take care of the explosives without you!" Nicholas shouted, swinging his lightsaber viciously as more and more guards drew dangerously close to him.

"Leave you to do it alone?" One of the men gasped.

"Yes! Put the explosives in one of my back pockets! I'll take care of the rest!" Nicholas yelled.

Nicholas felt someone putting the tiny, but deadly, explosives in one of his back pockets, and then he felt the men slowly beginning to move away from him, hesitating as they considered going back outside and leaving the Jedi to face everything by himself.

"Go! I'm ordering you to leave!" Nicholas shouted, and without any more delay, the bounty hunters and smugglers began to run, never turning their backs to the enemy and still firing as they disappeared down the corridor from whence they had come.

Nicholas did not wait any longer, but caused his green shield to cover him, not truly knowing how he was able to make it do so. He began to run through the guards, their lasers ricocheting harmlessly off the steady shield.

A great door suddenly came into view, and Nicholas barged through it, slamming it shut behind him and locking it. He breathed a great sigh of relief and then turned to see what room he had come into. The scene that met his eyes astounded him, and he stood silently for a few moments, giving his mind time to register what he was seeing.

Nicholas had run into a great hangar full of fighter ships of all sorts and sizes, as well as great masses of ground transportation. Every single piece of machinery had been expertly made and was ready to destroy any targets.

Nicholas began to walk through the great pieces of machinery, each step causing him to lose more and more hope of ever defeating the clones. Their technology was expensive and effective, better than any other technology he had ever seen. Their weapons were frightening to look at and would be even more frightening to see in action. There were hundreds of weapons, completely prepared for battle, so what, Nicholas shuddered, were they waiting for?

Great anxiety flowed through Nicholas' thoughts as he knelt down in the center of the room and placed the explosives on the floor. The small pieces of metal were powerful enough to blow up the entire factory, as well as hundreds of feet on either side of the building, and two simple switches on their metal plates activated them. Nicholas noticed, as he knelt by them, preparing to activate them, that cold sweat was trickling down his forehead and he was trembling terribly. He felt feverish; not hot, but extremely cold. He looked about him, wondering if the whole thought of such great machinery used against him and other innocent systems was triggering his defensive system, or if something else was bothering him, something more deadly…

"Nicholas! Something is wrong down there! Get out of there quickly!" Obi Wan shouted over Nicholas' headset, startling him and causing him to leap away from the explosives.

"I'm just about to activate the explosives," he said, his voice sounding weak and shaky.

"Nicholas, activate them and get out of there!"

Nicholas nodded, trying to move his fingers but not succeeding. He stood up suddenly, the cold dread overpowering him, and turned slowly, as though afraid to face what it was that was frightening him.

A tall, strong figure in a dark cloak stood before him, his face covered by his black hood, a double lightsaber with twin glowing red blades glowing radiantly in the room that had suddenly become dark.

"Nicholas!" Obi Wan shouted, panicking over the headset.

"Oh no," Nicholas gulped, his mouth becoming dry as he reached for his own lightsaber.

"You were unwise to come here alone, Nicholas Jade," the dark creature said, stepping slowly, stealthily, towards Nicholas.

"Who are you?" Nicholas asked, feeling as though he had somehow felt the man's presence before but not seen him.

"I am surprised you didn't bring the Queen of Yavin with you," the man continued, drawing steadily closer.

"You're that Sith lord that captured Crystal when she was a child!" Nicholas exclaimed, igniting his lightsaber.

"Excellent memory."

"You have frightened Crystal for all of her life until now. Your reign is over, dark lord, as are your clones," Nicholas said, pushing aside his fear and swinging his lightsaber with renewed courage and determination.

"You've recovered quickly. Hoping to defend a woman that you aren't even supposed to care for?"

"What is your name, that way, when I have to reply to your mocking, I can at least call you by name?" Nicholas asked, watching as the dark lord came to a stop before him.

"Javal."

Nicholas was waiting for the Jedi to attack, when, to his surprise, Javal gestured to a figure that was standing slightly behind him.

"I think you may want to do battle with this one before you attempt to destroy me," Javal explained, stepping aside and allowing the person behind him to come into full view.

Nicholas took in a deep breath as the person's distinguished features, flowing brown hair, dark green eyes, and beautiful mouth came into view.

"Crystal?" he squinted, trying to understand what he was seeing.

The woman didn't respond, but ignited her teal lightsaber and charged towards him with a shout. Nicholas defended himself against her blow, staring into her face with complete confusion before she suddenly pulled away from him and swung her lightsaber at him. She was out of control, completely wild, and to Nicholas' astonishment, she managed to nearly catch him off guard, almost cutting into his shoulder.

"This is so peculiar!" Nicholas spoke to himself as he defended himself against each one of Crystal's blows.

He couldn't understand how she had turned against him, couldn't understand why he wasn't trying to harm her. His thoughts were all in one great blur, and every move she made seemed to be slow motion to him. He was thoroughly confused and wasn't fully aware when he tripped over backward and landed on his back, his lightsaber somehow flying out of his hand and landing a short distance away, next to the explosives.

The explosives seemed to clear Nicholas' mind, and his thoughts suddenly became clear again. He gazed up at the woman as she raised her lightsaber above him, preparing to deal him one last blow. He wasn't fast enough to rescue himself, because of the time he had given her, and he gazed up at her, panicking as he realized that he was about to die.

A sudden motion from behind his enemy suddenly caught Nicholas' eye, and he watched as, with perfect speed, another figure leaped off one of the transportation vehicles and landed a hard kick at the woman's back. The woman flew across the room, slamming into a large piece of machinery, her lightsaber flying out of her hand. It was picked up quickly, and Nicholas' rescuer ran across the room, two lightsabers in hand, and attacked Nicholas' near assassin.

Crystal's clone didn't have a chance. With one blow, she was gone.

Nicholas' rescuer approached him, closing both lightsabers and offering him a black-gloved hand. Nicholas gazed at the person's hood as he stood up.

"Thank you," he said, letting go of the person's hand and reaching out with the force to retrieve his lightsaber.

"It really would be impossible for you to kill me, wouldn't it?" The cloaked person asked, pushing back her hood to reveal the face of Crystal.

Nicholas smiled and hugged her, waves of peace flooding over him to ensure him that this was indeed Crystal.

"Activate the explosives, Nicholas. The battle is getting worse outside. We need to leave," Crystal said, taking his hand and beginning to lead him towards the door.

Nicholas turned, and with a force nudge, triggered the explosives, giving them eight minutes to get out of the factory. He informed Obi Wan that they had been activated, and then focused his attention back on the explosives. As the switches finished flipping he suddenly remembered the dark cloaked figure that had approached him before he had been forced to fight Crystal's clone.

"Crystal, Javal is here!" He said suddenly, turning back around and igniting his lightsaber again.

"Had it not been for your queen, Nicholas, you would have been killed," Javal said, a few yards away from the couple.

"You've had me in your hands for too long now, Javal," Crystal said, igniting her lightsaber and stepping into place beside Nicholas.

"My master would not have liked to see one such as you growing up to be one of the Undefeatable Jedi," Javal said calmly, and then, completely unexpectedly, he lunged at the two Jedi, swinging his double lightsaber professionally as he engaged the two in battle.

One would have thought that two humans as powerful as Nicholas and Crystal would have easily been able to defeat one Sith lord. His anger towards Crystal had been gathered up inside of him for so many years, however, that his rage caused him to succeed in blocking each blow that either of the Jedi threw at him.

The three humans leaped about the great machinery that stood in the gigantic room, using primarily the force and their instincts to battle as all of the lights blinked a few times and then went off completely as someone from the battle outside broke the building's power source.

"Why are we not succeeding?" Nicholas growled through clenched teeth as he dodged a large piece of machinery that was flung at him.

"I don't know! We are fighting together!" Crystal said and then gasped as Javal's lightsaber ripped through her sleeve.

"I know what it is! We are fighting together, but not next to each other! If we each attack him from the front, he will have two humans being thrown at him at the same time, rather than one dodging behind him while the other attacks from the front!" Nicholas said, his eyebrows narrowing as he felt Crystal's pain.

"Your puny tricks will never destroy me!" Javal roared, and with one smooth, powerful force shove, he sent Crystal flying through the air, hitting two of the large vehicles as she did so. She was unable to recover in flight and fell to the ground with a thud.

"Crystal!" Nicholas cried out, almost losing his balance as his concentration was broken.

"Forget about her. You alone are left now!" Javal taunted, intensifying his thrusts and swings.

He didn't catch the warning glint in Nicholas' dark eyes as he battled, and the Sith lord was altogether too sure that Jedi on the light side of the force never allowed their anger to get the best of them. He failed to recall that Nicholas was no ordinary Jedi.

Nicholas suddenly roared and leaped into the air, spinning violently as he did so, catching Javal on the jaw with his right foot. Before the evil Jedi could recover, Nicholas had delivered one last, deadly thrust.

With a loud shout, the dark lord disappeared, and a great ball of blue energy took his place. Before Nicholas could understand what was happening, he was being slapped over and over again with the blue waves of energy that came from the dark side of the force. Pain racked through his body and he fell to the floor, trying in vain to protect himself from the rays and being too weakened by them to put up a shield.

The energy waves lasted less than a minute, but they left Nicholas drained of all energy. He lay on the floor, gasping for air, disheveled, and shaking violently. As he tried to regain his strength, a small ticking noise caught his attention, and he recognized it as being the explosives. The ticks had gotten faster over the course of the battle and were now sounding off at an astounding speed.

"Obi Wan," Nicholas whispered, stretching out to the force. "Get all of our men away from here now."

He felt something like a question from Obi Wan, but he was on the verge of unconsciousness and could not answer it. He allowed himself to stretch out flat across the floor and closed his eyes.

"Nicholas, you have to get up," a voice whispered to him, and he opened his eyes to see Crystal kneeling next to him, her dress ripped in numerous places, blood seeping through her sleeve, several other severe wounds and bruises covering her, and a look of complete weariness on her face.

"I can't get up."

"The explosives are about to go off."

"I know that. Get out of here while you still can."

"I won't leave you."

"Crystal, get out!"

"Nicholas, I won't leave you!" she repeated, her voice quiet and quivering.

"I'm too weak to shield myself from the explosion," Nicholas sighed.

"Give me your hand. Perhaps together we can make a great enough shield."

"I can't make any shield of any sort, Crystal," Nicholas choked as he put his hand in hers.

"Then I will try."

Crystal closed her eyes tightly, trying to push the sound of the explosives ticking out of her mind. She tried to focus all of her thoughts on Nicholas, how she had to protect him, how she wouldn't be able to survive if she didn't, how much he had meant to her…

Outside of the factory, Obi Wan was shouting to the bounty hunters and smugglers, who were still trying to battle with the hundreds of clones that continued to seep out of the factory.

"Get away from the factory now!" he called, beginning to run into the woods. "The explosives are about to blow!"

No one questioned the man that they had been instructed to obey, but all began to run away from the scene of the battle, dodging heavy fire from the clones' great machines as they did so. Less than two minutes later, the entire factory had exploded, as well as everything that was within a five-mile distance of it. Obi Wan had ordered some of the pilots from Yavin and Naboo to blow up a great section of earth a short distance away from the building, thus making a safe trench for Obi Wan and his comrades, and it was into this trench that all of them were forced to hide. The explosion hurt them but did not do any severe damage.

Obi Wan stood up slowly, after the gases from the explosion and the flying debris had subsided, and a great feeling of pain and sorrow overcame him.

"Did Nicholas and Queen Crystal make it out?" Mike Solo asked from his side, his body covered in dirt.

"I don't know," Obi Wan whispered, trying to find Nicholas with the force. He felt nothing, and the greatest fears he had ever had swept over him. "He cannot be dead," he told himself quietly.

"A great lesson we have learned from this," a raspy voice said from his side, and he looked down to see Yoda standing there quietly, leaning on his walking stick.

"Master Yoda! You came!"

"Yes. I felt a force greater than everything I have ever known for over the past three hours now, my friend, and I know now where it was coming from."

"Where?" Obi Wan gasped in surprise.

Yoda did not answer, but pointed a gnarled, shaky finger at the place where the factory had once been. Obi Wan could barely see the spot from where he was, but he immediately began to run towards it, trying to see what Yoda had felt.

There, directly in the center of where the building had been, was Crystal and Nicholas. Nicholas had his hand over Crystal's head, and around them were the last, faint traces of a green shield.

Obi Wan, somehow, didn't feel that it was appropriate to speak, but he watched in awe as Nicholas moved his hand off Crystal and then slowly began to stand up. He was very shaky and looked almost as though he would fall back down again. His clothes were greatly damaged, but he paid no heed to them. He would have spoken, but words were not needed. Crystal suddenly rolled over, her eyes open, and he offered her his hand. She stood up, tears streaming down her cheeks and sobs emitting from her mouth.

"We're alive!" she sobbed, throwing her arms around Nicholas and crying.

Nicholas was crying also, and both held each other tightly, Crystal's face buried in Nicholas' shirt, and Nicholas' face buried into her long, matted hair.

Tears sprang into Obi Wan's eyes, and he asked Yoda, who had come to stand next to him, "What lesson have we learned?"

Yoda looked very serious, his ears twitching a bit as he gazed at the couple before him, completely ignorant of anyone else's presence. "Learned that Nicholas and Queen Crystal must be together, have we."

Smugglers, bounty hunters, and soldiers from Naboo and Yavin all crawled out from behind rocks and out of ditches, greatly shaken, but grateful to be alive. Fifteen of their people had died in the vicious battle that had taken place outside of the cloning facility. Two Naboo fighters being shot down had caused four of those deaths.

Obi Wan approached Nicholas and Crystal quietly, signaling for the rest of the people to stay back. Nicholas pulled away from Crystal, her hand still in his, as Obi Wan approached.

"Master Obi Wan, it is so good to see you!" the exhausted Jedi cried out, giving Obi Wan a hug.

"I see her majesty of Yavin could not contain herself at her palace," Obi Wan smiled warmly to Crystal.

"If she hadn't come, I would have been killed and everyone with me," Nicholas said quietly.

"I know that. Master Yoda is here as well," Obi Wan said, folding his arms across his chest and gazing at the two battered, nearly faint Jedi that stood before him.

"Oh?" Nicholas asked, suddenly realizing that he had been embracing Crystal in front of a large audience.

"Yes, and he determined something," Obi Wan said, trying to keep back the tears as he spoke.

"What would that be?" Crystal asked quietly.

"You did it," Obi Wan whispered. "You proved yourselves. The centuries of disappointment and broken hearts have been fulfilled today."

"What do you mean?" Nicholas asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Obi Wan couldn't speak, but took Crystal's bleeding, blistered hands in his and opened them gently. "Nicholas, your hands belong here," he said, his eyes studying Crystal's carefully. "They always have belonged here."

"Master…" Nicholas began, but then Obi Wan took his hands and placed them in Crystal's.

"The Undefeatable Jedi cannot live without each other," he said quietly. "You have been given permission to marry. In front of this great audience," he shouted, and every soldier, smuggler, and bounty hunter turned to face him, "I hereby declare that if any Jedi so wishes to marry, he or she may do so freely!"

The bruised soldiers did not quite know what to say.

"What does all of this mean?" Mike Solo whispered to the pilot that stood next to him. "I thought anyone could marry if they chose?"

"Now they can," Captain Blake Antilles grinned from next to him before he stepped forward and began to clap his hands together. "Long live the King and Queen of Yavin!" he shouted.

Everyone began to join him, clapping wildly and cheering, although they didn't fully understand why they were doing so. The cheers rose high above the Endor trees, and it was with unspoken love and joy that Nicholas reached out and pulled his queen to him.


	20. Anakin's Final Farewell

**Here is the next chapter! I am also putting up chapter twenty-one today. Enjoy, and please continue to review! Thank you!**

**Chapter Twenty: Anakin's Final Farewell**

Shortly after that glorious announcement, everyone left Endor. Mike Solo and the men from Tatooine returned from whence they had come, Blake Antilles returned to Naboo with his fellow pilots, Yoda and Obi Wan returned to hiding, and Nicholas took the remainder of the soldiers back to their home planets and starships.

Crystal did not return with any of the others, but chose to make one final visit before she returned to Yavin.

Dusk had fallen and all was silent but for the gentle sound of great waterfalls. A lone figure, dressed in a lovely flowing silk gown, gracefully mounted the steps to the clean white sepulcher that stood overlooking Naboo's magnificent falls. A gentle breeze was blowing, and Crystal silently removed the hood from her head as she knelt down on the steps and gazed at the final resting place of her beloved friend Padme Amidala, the former queen of Naboo.

"You would be so proud, Padme," Crystal whispered as she placed several violet roses at the foot of the tomb. "Your children are in safe, loving hands, Palpatine's Empire is even now being hunted down and destroyed, and peace is being restored. Not only that," Crystal said, a blush coming to her cheeks as though she was actually speaking with Padme again. "But Nicholas and I shall be married. If only you and Anakin could have waited, Padme. If only you could have waited…"

Tears sprang into Crystal's eyes, and she covered her face with her hands, trying to drown out the pain of the past year with her tears.

"Allow me to be the first to congratulate you," a voice said from her side, and with a silent, inner dread, Crystal glanced up from her hands. The figure that stood next to her was anything but comforting to see. It was a man, extremely tall and dressed from head to foot in dark, shining armor.

"What do you want?" she gasped, her voice choked as she began to stand up.

"I mean no harm," the man replied, his voice mechanic and deep.

Crystal stood up slowly and gazed at the hood. She stretched out with the force and then violently took a step back.

"Anakin?" she asked incredulously.

"It is good to hear you speak my name again," the large armored person answered.

"You shouldn't be here!"

"No, I shouldn't be."

"Then why are you?"

"I was hoping to find you."

"By all means, I should kill you," Crystal stammered, somehow unable to reach for her lightsaber.

"Perhaps. I want only to know…did my child survive?" Anakin asked, his voice faltering.

"Your child?"

"Yes. I know Padme died, but did the child die with her?"

Crystal took a deep breath, trying to think of a good answer. He evidently hadn't heard her speaking about the children, and she didn't want him to know about them.

"That is a question I cannot answer," she said slowly.

A sudden rage swept over the cloaked, masked figure, and he waved his hand, as though about to strangle her with a force grip.

"Don't try it, Anakin," Crystal said quietly.

The gloved hand quivered and then fell to its master's side, Anakin's breaths coming out in short gasps. "You were Padme's good friend. Did she say anything about me…before she died?"

"Anakin," Crystal said gently, putting a hand on the covered, artificial arm. "She said she knew there was still good in you."

Anakin couldn't answer, but gazed down at her silently. "Do you believe that?" he finally asked, his voice a hoarse whisper.

"Yes. I always have, ever since I first met you."

"Does Nicholas believe it?"

"Nicholas doesn't know what to believe. He loved you Anakin."

Anakin nodded slowly and then turned as a loud droning noise became audible.

"That is my ship," he said, pulling away from Crystal. "I must go."

"Anakin, come back to us!" Crystal suddenly exclaimed, dropping at his feet and gazing up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "It isn't too late!"

"It is too late. Anakin is no more. Darth Vader has taken his place."

Crystal let out a sob as Anakin walked towards the open hatchway of his ship. He turned, before stepping onto it, and said loudly, "Be warned, Crystal. The Emperor is watching you and Nicholas carefully. He hasn't forgotten about you."

Crystal watched as Anakin's ship left and then continued to sit on the hard pavement, crying. It was well over thirty minutes when she finally got back to her feet and returned to her ship. Then, with a weary body and aching heart, she flew away from Naboo.


	21. Unity

**Thank you so much to everyone who has been reviewing!**

**Chapter Twenty-One: Unity**

Musical instruments blared joyously as a gentle breeze rustled through great banners and thick vines. The gray and white stones lining the interior of Yavin's throne room shone dazzlingly in the warm sunlight that streamed onto them and reflected merrily off the gold tips of the Yavin roses which crept along the walls. Hundreds of noble and common people filled the great room, each person in their respected group. Commoners, which consisted of bounty hunters, smugglers, pilots, soldiers, and a whole array of different people, sat on the left side of the room while queens, Jedi masters, chancellors, and other noblemen sat on the right side. Everyone was speaking quietly to each other, excited, yet dignified and orderly.

A great hush fell over the immense crowd as a man in a black suit, the edges lined in intricate gold trimming, stepped onto the stage before them. With a single gesture of his hands, the chancellor of Yavin brought the audience to their feet and then stepped aside so that Nicholas could be clearly seen by all. He was nervous, all could tell, but he glanced throughout the crowd, nodding respectfully at friends such as Mike Solo, Blake Antilles, Queen Jamilia, and others. His eyes came to rest on Obi Wan Kenobi, who stood respectfully in his appointed place next to Yoda in the front row on the right side. He continued to keep his eyes on his dear friend, even as Chancellor Arin announced his name, "Captain Nicholas Jade," to the audience. A few seconds later, however, all thoughts of Obi Wan were forgotten as, "her majesty, Queen Crystal of Yavin," was announced.

Nicholas hardly noticed as the whole audience turned to face the entranceway to the throne room. A sense of complete peace and pride flowed over him as he caught sight of the queen, in all of her beauty, beginning to walk slowly towards him as two young Jedi padawan walked before her, uncertainly sprinkling gold-tipped, lavender rose petals on the deep red carpet. Crystal's beautiful gold crown, necklace, and earrings sparkled brilliantly in the sun as she walked, ever so gracefully, towards Nicholas. Her dress was long and white and was the most beautiful dress anyone in the audience had ever seen. Her hair was down; parts of it braided, and intermingled in the braids were the roses of Yavin.

Nicholas couldn't breathe as Crystal came to a stop before him. She held out her hands to him and he took them without looking at them. His eyes gazed only into hers, and hers only into his. They repeated their vows, speaking them after the preacher did, and great was the silence in the immense room when the queen of Yavin and Vanisher from Tatooine were pronounced husband and wife.

Great thrill rippled through Crystal as Nicholas took a step closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers, a glorious smile of accomplishment and joy on his face as he moved it closer to hers. Her heart pounded with anticipation as he brought his lips close to hers and then whispered, ever so gently, "I make this commitment to you, Crystal, and will ever keep it." Crystal closed her eyes, overcome by love and happiness, and tears streamed down her cheeks as the great Undefeatable Jedi touched her lips with his own.

"We did it!" she cried, throwing her arms around him in an embrace as he pulled away from her and the witnesses began to cheer exuberantly. "The first Jedi to ever be married. We didn't think we could do it, but we did! Oh Nicholas, I am so happy!"

"One last duty have we to perform, Captain Nicholas, Queen Crystal," Chancellor Arin said quietly to them, the audience once more becoming silent.

Nicholas never took his eyes off Crystal's face as she turned to the side and picked up an article that was held in the chancellor's hands.

"Captain Nicholas Jade of Tatooine, please kneel," she said aloud, tears still streaming down her cheeks as Nicholas obeyed. "Friends, you now witness before you," Crystal said, taking the gold band in her hand and placing it gently on Nicholas' head, "King Nicholas of Yavin!"

Cheers rose high into the air as Nicholas stood up, took one of Crystal's hands in his, and then held his and her hand up in the air exuberantly. Bells tolled in the great towns surrounding the palace, and children raced about the streets shouting and laughing.

"Let me be the first to congratulate you," Obi Wan said, walking to Crystal and Nicholas and reaching out to hug them both. They eagerly returned his embrace, and the three stood together silently for several seconds, reveling in the warmth of the hug. "I am so, so proud of you both," Obi Wan said, pulling away from them with a great smile on his face. "What a day in history this is for us all."

"Strong in the force you must stay," Yoda said, approaching them and gazing up at the three with wide, expressive eyes.

"Of course sir," Nicholas nodded, the sun illuminating brilliantly off his golden crown.

"If ever we are needed again in the galaxy, we shall be there, together," Crystal smiled, linking her arm through her husband's.

"Excuse us," a very soft voice said quietly from Nicholas' side.

Nicholas turned his head to see Owen and Beru Lars standing next to him, smiling warmly up at him.

"We thought that you might wish to see Luke," Owen said gently, gesturing to a small boy who stood next to him, his hand in the older man's.

"Luke," Crystal whispered, letting go of Nicholas' hand and kneeling down to look at the sandy-haired child. "It is so wonderful to see him again. He has grown so much."

"He has just started walking," Beru smiled, watching as Nicholas picked the boy up.

"He looks just like his father," Nicholas said quietly, gazing into Luke's blue, beautiful eyes.

"Let us hope, when he becomes older, that he will not appear to look too much like him," Owen stated.

"Of course."

"Congratulations on your marriage," Beru said gently.

"Thank you very much. Thank you both for coming and for bringing Luke with you. It is so good to see all of you," Nicholas said, handing Luke back to Owen.

"You are welcome to visit him anytime," Owen commented, and then he and Beru left, carrying Luke with them.

"Such precious children," Crystal said quietly, wrapping her arm through Nicholas'.

"Yes. Senator Organa brought Leia here as well. We shall see them at the reception in a couple of hours," Nicholas nodded.

The grand reception that afternoon was the greatest that Yavin had ever experienced. Rows and rows of tables full of food filled the inner courtyard of the palace. Crystal and Nicholas were served their food first, and then followed great entertainment from many famous entertainers from many different planets.

All in all, the events of the day tired the new couple, and while they enjoyed seeing their comrades and the Skywalker twins, it was with great relief that they arrived at the country home later that evening.

After getting dressed in more comfortable clothes, Nicholas stepped out of his room and onto the balcony where Crystal stood, gazing at the great waterfalls ahead. She wore a brown robe over her light green nightgown, and her long hair was still in the braids from the wedding ceremony. She didn't turn to face Nicholas as he approached her, but a small smile appeared on her face, and she closed her eyes happily when he put his arm around her and drew her closer to him.

"Today was the happiest day of my life," Nicholas said quietly, gazing at the waterfalls with her.

"How shall you ever manage, being a great king with men and women waiting on you all day and night?" Crystal smiled up at him.

"I shall manage by knowing that I have the most beautiful queen in the entire galaxy," Nicholas smiled in return.

"This is a dream come true. I am so happy, and the day was simply marvelous," Crystal said wistfully.

"It was very nice to see Luke and Leia," Nicholas added, reading her thoughts.

"Yes," Crystal said quietly, her voice lowering noticeably.

"All will be well eventually, Crystal."

"I just wish Anakin had come back to us. He has given up hope on himself," Crystal said sadly.

Nicholas didn't reply, but kissed her forehead and held her tightly.

"I shouldn't be concerned with the rest of the galaxy right now," Crystal said a few minutes later, wrapping her arms around Nicholas. "The galaxy can be left alone for a short while."

"Yes, and now that we are together, we can overcome any obstacles that may happen in the near future. Don't worry, Crystal. Everything will be all right."

"I know," Crystal said, laying her head against his chest and gazing up at the stars. "I know."


	22. Ghost of a Planet

**The next chapter's up! Enjoy and please review!**

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Ghost of a Planet**

And so the months began to pass. While war raged throughout the rest of the galaxy, Yavin remained unharmed and in a state of peace. Her king and queen were often gone, defending Naboo and any other allied systems, but not once was Yavin ever attacked. It concerned Crystal and Nicholas, especially when, six months later, it was determined that a child would be born to the Jedi.

Two days after it was determined that Crystal would indeed be having a child, urgent news arrived.

Nicholas was walking past the security room when he felt great tension from all those who were in it.

"What is the matter?" he asked, stepping into the room.

"We are getting a strange code from an area near the Outer Rim and we can't decipher it," Tray, the commander, frowned.

"Let me see it," Nicholas said, leaning over his shoulder to look at the computer screens.

"It is an alien code, obviously, but we can't determine what group it is from," Tray sighed.

"It's a smuggler code of some sort, actually. Looks like they are going to some part of Mustafar," Nicholas said slowly. "I wonder what they want there?"

"Is Mike Solo one of the smugglers?"

"No," Nicholas said, shaking his head. "He never writes in that dialect. There is something about a cavern in this code. Get me access to Mike Solo, please."

A few seconds later, a hologram of Mike Solo popped up. Mike was sitting in a recliner, his arms folded across his chest and a look of interest on his face.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Mike, I just depicted a message from Brag Rob to some other smuggling ship. They are going to go to Mustafar and some cavern there that I have never heard of. What do you suppose they are doing there?" Nicholas asked.

"Brag Rob?" Mike frowned.

"Yes."

"That's bad news. Of course, anything with him is bad news. It has been rumored that he is working with the Empire."

"That can't be true. Palpatine used to loathe smugglers. Why would he want to work with them?"

"I don't know, but I think you should find out. Would you care for me to come with you?"

"Yes. I think just the two of us should go."

"What about Crystal?"

"You haven't heard? She's pregnant," Nicholas grinned.

"Congratulations! No, I hadn't heard. That's a good thing though, because then no one else has either," Mike grinned.

"Come here as soon as you can, and then we can both leave together," Nicholas said, and Mike nodded.

"I'll see you soon, your majesty," the smuggler smiled before the hologram disappeared.

Nicholas left the room, walking quickly down one of the palace corridors and nodding politely to the people who greeted him as he passed. He opened his apartment door quickly and then stepped inside to find Crystal already standing, waiting for him. Without so much as a wave of her hand, she closed the door behind him and smiled worriedly.

"What is it, Nicholas? I felt that you were troubled," she asked, approaching him and putting her hand in his.

"There's a smuggler named Brag Rob going to Mustafar for some unknown reason. He has a code that no one near there will be able to decipher, and it is rumored that he is in cahoots with the Empire."

"You are going to Mustafar?"

"Yes."

"I will go with you," Crystal said determinedly, letting go of his hand and turning towards one of the closets.

"No, you can't. If anything should happen to you, I would never forgive myself," Nicholas said, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Nicholas, this could be a trap. Palpatine could be trying purposefully to separate us so that he can attack both places at the same time," Crystal frowned.

"I have already thought about that. You have enough security here to hold off any enemy forces while I determine what is wrong."

"I still don't like it. What could the Empire be up to now?" Crystal asked.

"Brag Rob is supposedly going to some cavern in Mustafar. There must be something there that the Empire wants."

"What could Palpatine want so badly that he sends a smuggler to get it?" Crystal wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but that is what I have to find out. You must stay here. I will be back as soon as possible," Nicholas smiled and then took a flight suit out of the closet. "Mike is going to be here shortly. He is going with me."

"That is some comfort," Crystal sighed.

"As soon as the baby is born, you will be able to come with me again. As for now, you must stay here and rest. I will be back before you know it."

A few minutes later, Nicholas bade Crystal farewell and then left the palace. Crystal had already informed Chancellor Arin and the senators that Nicholas would be gone, and although they disliked the idea of the king being gone for an unknown amount of time, they knew that when Nicholas wanted to do something, nothing could stop him.

After having become king, Nicholas had been given his own landing pad directly next to the palace. It was only large enough to fit his X-Wing, and no other types of ships could land there. It was there that Nicholas caught sight of Mike, leaning casually against the X-Wing.

"Hello your majesty," Mike said, saluting with two fingers.

"Nicholas, Mike. We've gone over this one before. I am only Nicholas to you," Nicholas said, reaching out and shaking his hand.

"Oh, that's right."

"You're making a dent in my ship," Nicholas grinned as he put his hand on his ship.

"Terribly sorry. I've never been to Mustafar before. I don't even know where it is," Mike said.

"Did Brag know where it was before the Empire told him?" Nicholas frowned.

"No, I don't think so."

"I don't understand what Palpatine wants with him."

"You've been to Mustafar before. What's it like?" Mike asked, moving away from the X-Wing.

"It's a volcanic planet with several caverns, oceans of lava, falling boulders, and great rock structures," Nicholas said.

"How long were you there for, when you were there?"

"Only a few months before I started going insane," Nicholas grinned.

"Did you learn anything new about it?"

"The planet's deserted. After Palpatine was there, all other life forms and droids disappeared."

"Interesting. Are you ready to leave?" Mike asked.

"Yes. I'll lead the way," Nicholas said, climbing up his ladder and sitting in the hold of his ship.

"Alright. See you there," Mike waved and then ran towards his ship, which was a short distance away.

Nicholas was deep in thought as he flew through space. He didn't like Mustafar, and why any smuggler would go there was a mystery indeed. The planet was dangerous and was hot with poisonous gases causing a screen of thick smoke to surround it. Nicholas had stayed there before knowing that Palpatine would not send any of his men there. It had been an unpleasant, lonely stay. He thought about what could be of value in the caverns and was completely confused.

"Nicholas, are you there?"

Nicholas shook his head and then spoke. "What is it, Mike?"

"Ugly, dangerous-looking planet ahead, Captain. Would that be it?"

Nicholas cleared his thoughts and gazed ahead. "That would be it," he sighed.

"Where are we supposed to land?"

"Just fly in. According to the message my people intercepted, they should be a few miles to the north of where we are."

"Not that I'm a coward, of course, but I'm glad you are going in first," Mike chuckled.

"There's a bit of turbulence when you first enter the system, so be ready for that," Nicholas said, wishing for once that he had an astromech droid to help him out.

The flight into Mustafar was more bouncy and painful than Nicholas remembered it being. He had to violently maneuver his aircraft, trying to keep it above the great rivers of lava as he fought against the currents of steam.

"There's a large strip of rock ahead. Do you see it?" Nicholas asked, his teeth clicking together as he spoke.

"Yes."

"See if you can land there."

Mike didn't answer, but Nicholas could feel his frustration, and it was completely understandable.

Five minutes later, both ships had landed, and Nicholas and Mike met in between them.

"Lovely place for a vacation," Mike commented, gazing about him at the explosions of lava and shouting to be heard above the roar of erupting volcanoes.

"I agree. We are going to have to walk the rest of the way to where Brag is," Nicholas said, making certain he had his lightsaber and a blaster.

"Walk the rest of the way? How are we going to do that?" Mike asked, gazing at the lava that surrounded their makeshift-landing pad.

"There are rock formations in the lava. We will have to walk on those," Nicholas said.

"Right. You forget that I'm human," Mike frowned, folding his arms across his chest.

"What do you think I am?" Nicholas asked, walking behind his ship and stepping onto one of the larger rocks that stood in the midst of the lava.

"You're Vanisher and the undefeatable Jedi. You have an advantage," Mike sighed.

"And because I am those two characters rolled into one, don't you think you can trust me?" Nicholas asked, leaping to the next rock.

"I wish I could."

"Who trained you to be a smuggler, Mike?"

"Alright, so you've got me there. Rielle and Han, if I never see you again, blame the king of Yavin," Mike said, closing his eyes tightly and then opening them. He stepped onto the first rock and then stood there, gauging the distance from that one to the one that Nicholas had just left. He took a deep breath and then leaped to the next one.

"Looks like we have a bit of a problem," Nicholas said, stopping two minutes later.

"What now?" Mike frowned.

"It doesn't seem that there is another rock to go to."

"That's just great," Mike said, gazing at the ocean of fiery liquid.

"Let me think for a minute," Nicholas said, closing his eyes slowly.

"Here we go with that hokey force thing again," Mike sighed.

"It comes in handy every now and then," Nicholas grinned. "I think it's a little hokey too, honestly, but I know the answer to our problem."

"And what would that be?"

"I know the rock I'm standing on is a bit small, but you need to get over here."

"You are crazy! There isn't room for the both of us!" Mike shouted, frustrated.

"Do it now, Mike, or get shot down."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a ship coming! We haven't got time! Get over here!" Nicholas yelled, and Mike jumped. Nicholas caught his arm as his feet came to rest on the same rock and then held him in place.

"What are we going to do?" Mike panicked, hearing the roar of engines.

"Let's see if I can do this," Nicholas said, keeping a hand on Mike. "If we can't see the ship in a matter of seconds, it will have worked."

"What will?"

"A cloaking device."

"You can make a cloaking device?" Mike gasped.

"I've been working on it. Just hope it works," Nicholas said, keeping one hand on him while he unhooked something from his belt.

"What are you doing with the grappling hoist?" Mike asked suspiciously.

"Wouldn't you like a free ride?" Nicholas grinned.

The screaming of engines suddenly became louder, as though directly ahead, but neither man could see anything.

"There's no ship. You were tricked," Mike said.

"Hold onto my arm!" Nicholas shouted, and then fired the hoist.

Three seconds later, both men were catapulted into the air and Mike let out a shout as he almost lost his hold on Nicholas' arm.

"How did you do that?" he shouted over the engines.

"Timing!" Nicholas called back.

"I still can't see the ship!"

"Oh, it's there! Trust me!" Nicholas shouted with a grin.

A minute passed, and then Nicholas caught sight of a great waterfall of lava in the distance.

"Start climbing!" he shouted, beginning to climb up the grappling rope.

"Right!" Mike replied, following him.

"Climb until you are touching the bottom of the ship!" Nicholas ordered, his muscles twitching as he worked.

Less than a minute later, the ship passed over the waterfall, Nicholas and Mike clinging to the rope with their legs tucked up to their chests. Both grimaced as they nearly touched the lava and then they let out a sigh of relief as they caught sight of a large, building-like rock structure in the distance.

"We need to get off now!" Nicholas said as the ship's engines began to die down.

"Alright!" Mike said, letting go of the rope.

Both men landed in a crouching position on a flat rock a quarter of a mile away from the rock structure. A few seconds later, the ship that they had been clinging to suddenly became visible, and it landed gently next to the rock formation.

"I thought I knew where we are," Nicholas said quietly.

"Where are we?"

"This is where we lost Anakin."

"It's probably haunted," Mike frowned, drawing his blaster.

"Oh please," Nicholas sighed. "Come on. We need to get to that building."

"I thought you weren't here when the battle took place," Mike said as they climbed over great boulders.

"I wasn't, but I just know."

"Anakin was killed, wasn't he?"

"What were you told?" Nicholas asked, turning his head to face him for a few seconds.

"I wasn't told much."

"Anakin was, in a sense, killed."

"In a sense?" Mike asked, confused.

"Quiet. We are almost there. I can see someone inside the building," Nicholas said, looking forward again and holding a finger to his lips.

It was with great care that Nicholas and Mike stepped into the broken-down rock building five minutes later. The person that had been in the building before had somehow disappeared, leaving them safe for the moment.

Nicholas didn't feel safe as he walked through the building. The dark force was strong there, and he understood why. Before Anakin's fall, he had been ruler of this building and all that had been in it. Many beings had been killed, and an overwhelming feeling of grief flowed through Nicholas.

"Where did those people disappear to?" Mike asked, causing Nicholas to come out of his thoughts.

"I don't know."

"You were Vanisher, Nicholas. If you can't figure out where they went, then no one can."

"You are right. They went in that room," Nicholas said, pointing towards an open doorway.

"What's holding you back?" Mike frowned, glancing at Nicholas' face.

"I'm bracing myself," Nicholas said, taking a deep breath.

"For?" Mike asked, stepping into the room with him.

Mike's question did not need to be answered with words. The two men stepped into a room that revealed rotting skeletons strewn carelessly across the hard floor.

"The person we saw is dead?" Mike asked, all sorts of superstitious Corellian stories coming back to him.

"No. That was Nute Gunray," Nicholas whispered, kneeling next to one of the unfortunate carcasses. "He was with the Emperor the whole time."

"Where's the smuggler, Nicholas?" Mike asked nervously.

Nicholas didn't answer, but went from one skeleton to another. "So much damage," he whispered to himself.

"Nicholas, Brag is going to get here before we even find him if you don't get back to reality and find where he went!" Mike said.

"He's under the hologram stand," Nicholas murmured, not looking up.

"What?"

"Nute Gunray was trying to hide something. He was standing against the hologram stand when someone, I'm assuming it was Anakin, entered the room," Nicholas said, standing up and walking to the hologram stand. He ran his fingers along the rough cut sides and then drew his lightsaber. He ignited it; the green bade casting an eerie glow over the dark room, and then stepped forward. "He took about three steps away from it before he was cut down." Nicholas swung his lightsaber, acting out what happened. "Now, why would the Emperor kill someone who had been such an asset to him?"

"Because the Emperor's evil," Mike shrugged, keeping a wary eye on the lightsaber.

"That's not reason enough. Nute Gunray had entire systems at his disposal. He was hiding something important," Nicholas said, turning to look at the hologram stand again and closing his lightsaber. "There was something underneath that stand that the Emperor didn't want found or used. And now he is hiring someone to get it for him. I wonder…"

Mike stood quietly, watching Vanisher once again at work with his brilliant mind. Nicholas' green eyes were glowing brilliantly as he thought, but then he let out a sharp gasp, and a look of horror crossed his face.

"What is it?" Mike asked worriedly.

"I think I know what it is!" Nicholas whispered hoarsely.

"What?"

"I've heard of it before, but I never believed it was true. There was once a legend I heard about a chemical that could make even the most powerful man weak. The most powerful man would be a Jedi; therefore, they are after the chemical that can strip the power away from any Jedi in order to make them as helpless as any normal being. If that is what they are after," Nicholas said, violently grabbing hold of the top of the stand, "then we have to destroy the chemical before others get killed by it."

"Are you certain that is what they are after?" Mike asked, watching Nicholas' muscles strain as he began to turn the top of the stand.

"Almost positive. We will see in a few minutes," Nicholas grunted and then threw the top off.

It landed in a pile of bones, but neither man noticed as they looked inside of the stand. There was a dark tunnel that led straight through the floor.

"You first," Mike said with a sheepish grin as he looked at Nicholas.

"I thought you were a smuggler. Smugglers are supposed to be brave," Nicholas said, taking out his lightsaber and leaping straight up into the air and landing in the tunnel.

"I wish I could do that," Mike sighed as he climbed in after Nicholas.

The tunnel was pitch black and quite frequently Mike's boot came to land on Nicholas' hand, but the Jedi merely bit his lip and remained quiet. Fifteen minutes of climbing in the dark passed before an eerie red light suddenly became visible at the end of the tunnel.

"There are only three men down there," Nicholas whispered, stopping.

"How are you going to find out what they are doing?"

"It only takes a little bit of acting," Nicholas answered. "I'm going to need your jacket."

"Wait a minute. If they are working with that chemical, like you think they are, then one shot will kill you," Mike said.

"No, it will only weaken me, and even when I am weak, I am still more powerful than they are. Think about when I was Vanisher. I didn't even know I had Jedi powers, and I could still outshoot and outmaneuver anyone, couldn't I?"

"I guess you are right," Mike said, taking off his jacket and handing it to Nicholas. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. I haven't had this much fun by myself in awhile," Nicholas grinned, slipping the jacket on and hiding his lightsaber. "Stay put. I should be back soon enough. You have explosives in your vest, don't you?"

"Of course."

"I am going to need some."

"Just remember that I can't put up a shield and I have been a good friend to you," Mike said nervously as he handed Nicholas the explosives.

"I won't forget," Nicholas smiled and then continued climbing down the ladder.

Nicholas dropped silently to the ground below, not making a single sound as he stepped behind the smugglers. They were leaning over a steaming stream of lava and appeared to be collecting it in great stone jars that already had a trace amount of blue clay in it. They were collecting the clay from the bank of the stream and Nicholas noticed that the clay was bubbling wildly.

"Interesting concoction you have there," Nicholas said loudly, and one of the men nearly fell into the lava with surprise as the others spun about wildly, blasters in hand.

"Who are you?" Brag, a short man with graying hair and whiskers, shouted.

"Don't recognize me?" Nicholas asked, stepping calmly towards him.

"No."

"That's too bad. Jabba's been wondering what you are up to. Any bargain that his scum gets their hands on he wants to know about. Didn't you know that?" Nicholas asked, coming to a stop directly in front of him.

"This doesn't concern Jabba," the man next to Brag snapped.

"No? Then why am I here? Perhaps Talon can tell you," Nicholas said, gazing into the eyes of the young man who had nearly fallen into the lava.

"You know my name?" The young man asked, gray eyes open wide in astonishment.

"Of course. You are high on Jabba's list of agents to take over his trade when he retires. You were also one of the only smugglers that ever outsmarted Vanisher. You almost caught him once," Nicholas said easily.

"You are Vanisher!" Talon gasped.

"Yes. What new product have you for Jabba to get his hands on?"

"None. This has nothing to do with Jabba, like Drax said," Brag scowled, bringing his blaster to bear on Nicholas. "Now Vanisher, or whoever you are, get out of here."

"I've been instructed to find you and learn about what you are doing," Nicholas frowned.

"You are just too obedient for your own good, aren't you?" Brag asked, and then fired.

"Vanisher!" Talon shouted, but his warning wasn't necessary.

Nicholas shot straight up into the air and then landed behind Brag. Before the smuggler could make another move, Nicholas slammed his arm into Brag's head, causing the man to fall unconscious to the ground. He then kicked at Drax, catching him in the chest and flinging him into the wall. Drax tried to attack again, but Nicholas was too fast and soon had him lying unconscious next to Brag.

"Well, not very friendly are they?" Nicholas asked, turning to face Talon.

Talon had nothing to say for a few seconds, but then he cleared his throat and said, "We were making a concoction for the Emperor."

"So I realized."

"It's a weapon to destroy Jedi. You…you are one, aren't you?"

"I don't know, am I?" Nicholas asked, walking over to one of the stone jars. He put his hand out, about to touch it, but Talon suddenly charged at him and grabbed his arm.

"Don't!" he shouted. "You have special powers, don't touch it!"

"I won't die if I touch it, will I?" Nicholas asked, once again staring the young man in the face.

"No, but you will lose all the strength you ever had. You might not even be as powerful as Vanisher was anymore if you mess with that stuff," Talon said rapidly.

"And why are you involved in such a business?"

"I'm just a smuggler. Getting money, in any way possible, is important to me."

"Then why did you just try to protect me?"

"I'm not as ruthless as they are," Talon said, gesturing to the two unconscious men. "The Emperor has us in a fix right now. If we don't get this stuff for him, we might be killed. We were threatened, you see. He has all the power now."

"I know something about these chemicals. Let me mess with them a bit, and then you can give them to the Emperor," Nicholas said, pulling a cylinder with clear liquid out of his pocket.

"What is that?" Talon frowned.

"A special Tatooine recipe. When it is put into any other liquid, it causes the liquid to dissolve, therefore making it useless."

"The Emperor will kill us if he finds that it doesn't work," Talon said worriedly.

"And he'll kill you if he finds that it does work," Nicholas said.

"Either way then, we will die?"

Nicholas nodded. "The Emperor loathes smugglers and Jabba and his men are no threat to him. Surely you know that by now."

"What should I do to save myself?" Talon asked.

"Send me to the Emperor with the chemicals. I'll handle it."

"You! But he'll definitely kill you!" Talon gasped.

"I'll worry about myself. All you and your companions need to do is find somewhere safe to hide. Go back to Tatooine. Palpatine and his men won't go there."

"And the money?"

"I'll see to it that you get it and are the one to give it to Jabba," Nicholas smiled, letting several drops of his chemical fall into the stone jars.

"That poisonous stuff is all over the place in here," Talon commented as Nicholas worked.

"I know. You and your friends need to leave. After you do, I'll destroy this place."

"Very well then. When should I leave?"

"You need to leave now. I'm almost finished with my work here."

"I can't carry both Brag and Drax out at the same time."

"Mike!" Nicholas called. "Please assist Talon with getting Drax and Brag out of here."

Five minutes later, Drax, Brag, Talon and Mike were out of the cavern and Nicholas had finished preparing the chemicals in two of the smaller stone jars. He put the chemicals in his belt loops, making certain that their lids were fastened tightly beforehand, and then put two tiny black disks right next to the stream.

"Mike," Nicholas called out with the force as he triggered the explosives and then ran back to the tunnel that he had come in from. "Order Talon to lift off and then you need to get out of there. Go to that rock wall we were hiding behind before. Everyone has four minutes to get to safety before the whole thing blows."

Nicholas could feel great astonishment coming from Mike as he spoke to him, but he knew that the smuggler would see to it that the orders were obeyed.

As Nicholas raced out of the tunnel, back into the room of skeletons, he glanced through the room one last time; a feeling of overwhelming sadness overcame him.

"Here is the beginning of the dark side's reign of terror," he sighed and then left the room, running full speed towards the entranceway of the dark stone structure.

"It's about to blow!" Mike shouted to him as he neared the stonewall.

"I know! I know! Get down!" Nicholas ordered, sliding into place next to him and reaching out with the force to grab a flat, heavy piece of rock. He pulled it to him and then grabbed hold of it, holding it over his and Mike's heads. "Did Talon get out of here?"

"Yes. He left a minute ago. You were cutting it dreadfully short," Mike frowned.

"I know, but…"

A terrific explosion drowned Nicholas' words out, and Mike covered his ears as large rocks began to fall atop the slate that Nicholas was holding above their heads.

When the noise stopped, Mike turned to Nicholas, his face a bit white.

"Can we go out now?"

"No. You need to cover your nose and mouth. The poisonous fumes are about to drift out," Nicholas said.

"What about you?" Mike asked, covering his face.

"I'll do that also."

"But the rock!"

"You haven't learned much, have you?" Nicholas smiled as he let go of the rock and held it up with a force grip as he covered his face.

Ten more minutes passed before Nicholas slowly removed the rock and took his hands off his face. "Now then, off we go," he said, standing up and dusting himself.

"You are going back to Yavin?" Mike asked.

"No. I'm going to greet the Emperor first. I have something that belongs to him," Nicholas said, pulling one of the small jars containing the chemicals out of his pocket.

"You are absolutely out of your mind! You, the undefeatable Jedi, are going to confront the Emperor _and_ give him the poison to kill you with?" Mike shouted.

"No. A smuggler is going to confront the Emperor and give him a chemical that is going to do me or any other Jedi absolutely no harm."

"Why are you giving it to him then?" Mike asked, exasperated.

"To convince him that the stuff doesn't work, just in case there is more of it somewhere. Look, let me take care of all the details. You can go back to Jabba now, if you wish."

"Oh no! I want to see how you are going to do this!" Mike declared, folding his arms across his chest.

"Good! I had hoped you would say that, because we need your ship," Nicholas grinned.

"My ship? Jade…"

"We'll go back to Yavin so that I can get my costume, and then we'll go find the Emperor, who's drifting in a spaceship not too far away," Nicholas said.

"What about Brag? He'll be sure to tell the Emperor everything," Mike frowned.

"No he won't. Brag didn't get the chemicals and because of that, he won't dare to face the Emperor. Do you know if the Emperor happened to see what Brag and his companions looked like?" Nicholas asked.

"I don't know, but I can contact Talon and ask him."

"Go ahead and do that, please."

Within a few minutes, both men had learned that Palpatine had not actually seen Brag or his fellow smugglers, and so it was decided that Mike and Nicholas would go to the Emperor disguised as Brag and Drax.


	23. Tricking the Emperor

Here is the next chapter! Enjoy and please review!

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Tricking the Emperor**

The flight to Yavin went safely, and Nicholas immediately went into the palace and to his room. He found Crystal lying on a couch in the living room, asleep.

"Crystal," he said gently, shaking her shoulder.

She opened her eyes slowly and then smiled up at him.

"You are back!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.

"Only for a short while," he smiled.

"A short while?" Crystal asked, sitting up with a small frown on her face.

"Yes. Mike and I have a mission to perform for the Emperor," Nicholas said, and then caught her hand as reached out to him abruptly.

"Nicholas, I don't understand," she said slowly.

"Palpatine sent a few smugglers out to get a chemical that can permanently destroy all of our force abilities. I caught them, completely weakened the chemicals, and told Talon that I would bring the chemicals to the emperor and get the money for him. This will also cause the Emperor to believe that the chemicals don't work," Nicholas explained.

"But why must you go to the Emperor? Why can't Mike go alone?" Crystal asked worriedly.

"Because that would be putting him into a situation where if something wrong was to happen, he wouldn't be able to do anything. I am also the one that mixed the chemicals and basically took charge of the situation. I need to go, Crystal."

"I suppose there is no stopping you," Crystal sighed, giving his hand a squeeze. "Please, be careful Nicholas."

"I will be, and I will return to you as soon as the mission is over," Nicholas said, bending over and giving her a kiss before he let go of her hand and turned towards their bedroom. "I need a good disguise of some sort. I'll have to talk to Chancellor Arin," he said.

Half an hour later, two strange-looking people stepped away from the palace and made their way to a large ship that was docked behind the palace.

"This is slightly uncomfortable," Nicholas said, his voice hissing out from an insect-shaped helmet.

"No kidding. At least it will keep us safe, I hope. Can't other Jedi tell that you are one?" Mike snarled from his mask.

"If I don't have a protective wall up, yes. However, I will be quite safe, I'm sure. Don't worry. You are with Vanisher, Mike. You will be completely safe," Nicholas said, putting a hand on Mike's shoulder as they stepped into his smuggling ship.

As soon as both men were positioned comfortably in the cockpit, they removed their helmets.

"So tell me, O mighty one, how are you going to trick the Emperor?" Mike asked as the ship jumped to life and then leaped off the ground.

"I'll simply give him the liquid, take the money, and then off we go."

"And why aren't you just going to kill him while we are there?"

A look of thoughtfulness suddenly swept over Nicholas' face, and he smiled, stroking his chin. "That might not be such a bad idea. I can't do that, though."

"Why not?"

"Darth Vader will be there."

"So? You are stronger than Darth Vader, whomever he may be, and the Emperor put together."

"Let's get this straight, Mike. I'm not completely indestructible."

"Then why are you called the Undefeatable Jedi?"

"I am not sure. I do think I can be destroyed."

"Why give the Emperor any of the liquid to begin with?" Mike sighed.

"Mike, think for a minute, will you? If the Emperor gets a liquid that doesn't work, he won't go looking for it again, don't you think? If he finds that the poison is a dud, it will simply be a waste of time for him to get more of it."

"You're really braving it, aren't you?"

"You are the one that decided to come along and help me," Nicholas grinned, and then sat back in his chair. "Set the coordinates for the number I'm about to give you."

Several hours passed.

"Nicholas! Nicholas, wake up!"

Nicholas opened his eyes and looked at Mike. "We there yet?"

"Is that the ship you were referring to before?" Mike asked, pointing.

Nicholas looked at the stars ahead, immediately catching sight of a large ship.

"Yes, that's it," he nodded.

"Unidentified pilot, identify yourself," a voice came in over the speakers.

"What do I do?" Mike asked.

"Imperial ship, this is Brag Rob and my co-pilot, Drax. We are here to give the Emperor the supplies he ordered," Nicholas said after flipping a switch on the dashboard and putting his helmet back on.

"Brag Rob?" the voice asked.

"Yes. Got a problem with it?" Nicholas' voice hissed through the mask.

"Watch your tongue, smuggler! Give me your code number."

"054-LEAP."

"Permission to land. Go to dock 12, and no tricks!" the voice barked over the intercom and then shut off.

"How friendly they are," Nicholas commented as he readjusted his helmet.

"Are you trying to get us killed?" Mike sighed, putting his mask in place and then adding another blaster to the collection he had in his leg holster.

"Imperials consider smugglers to be the second lowest scum in the galaxy. I had to act that way," Nicholas said, hiding his lightsaber in a concealed pocket on his armored vest.

"What if this doesn't work? My wife and son will be really upset if I don't make it back," Mike snapped from his disguise.

"Just trust me, hmm? I think I know what I'm doing."

"You think? You need to know, Nicholas!"

"What happened to your sense of adventure, Mike? You were the most rash, wild smuggler I knew when I was Vanisher, and now look at you."

"You'll understand when Crystal has her baby," Mike frowned, landing the ship inside the imperial ship's docking bay.

"Get ready for action," Nicholas said, watching as several guards became visible running towards the ship as Mike turned the power off.

"Right."

The ramp for Mike's ship was lowered, and then Nicholas and Mike stepped out onto it. Fifteen white-armored clones were waiting for them.

"Come with us," the lead guard ordered.

"Of course," Nicholas said, stepping into formation with the clones, Mike getting as close to him as was possible.

"How soon will the Emperor be seeing us? We have other jobs to perform," Mike said, and Nicholas smiled from beneath his helmet. As scared as the smuggler was, he was playing his part as brilliantly as he could.

"As soon as he's ready. Be silent!" one of the guards snapped, showing his blaster into Mike's back to get him to move faster.

Nicholas and Mike were led into a large room and were ordered to wait there.

"They're probably going to get the firing squad," Mike sighed.

Nicholas didn't seem to be listening. "Looks like the Emperor is in there with two of his red guards and Darth Vader. We shouldn't have a problem," he said thoughtfully.

"Shouldn't have a problem?" Mike frowned.

"You are fast enough with a blaster to get the two guards if you need to, and I can handle Darth Vader and Palpatine, if it becomes necessary to escape," Nicholas said confidently.

"I wish I had your faith," Mike said as the door to the next room suddenly slid open.

"Come in," one of the guards in red ordered, his large stick pointed at the two smugglers.

"It's about time!" Nicholas snapped as he stepped casually into the room.

The door slid shut behind him and Mike, and they were left in the room with the two guards, Palpatine, and Darth Vader, who stood loyally next to his master.

"You brought my chemicals?" Palpatine asked, never rising from his throne.

"Yes, we did," Nicholas said, pulling the jar of glowing blue liquid out of his belt.

"Very good. Give it to me."

"Not before we get our money," Nicholas said, closing his hand around the jar so that it was out of sight.

"You best do as he says," Darth Vader spoke threateningly.

"Maybe you should just give it to them," Mike murmured, watching as the evil knight in black took a step towards them.

"Not until I get my money. I worked long and hard to get this stuff, and I expect to be paid," Nicholas said.

"Master…" Darth Vader began, but Palpatine waved his hand.

"They want their money, and so they shall get it."

One of the red guards stepped forward and handed several folds of bills to Nicholas, who promptly flipped through them.

"Very good. Here are the chemicals," he said, handing the jar and one other one to the guard.

"You may leave now," the Emperor ordered, and Nicholas and Mike promptly obeyed.

"That went well enough," Mike said as they were escorted to his ship.

"I suppose. Ah, here we are! Thank you, guards," Nicholas said, and the guards immediately left. He took hold of Mike's arm and began to run towards the ship.

"What is all this about?" Mike asked as they leaped up the ramp and into the cockpit, the ramp closing behind them as they did so.

"Get going, and quickly!" Nicholas said, turning the power on.

"What is wrong?"

"I told you the chemicals wouldn't work! As soon as Palpatine tests them, there is going to be a huge explosion! It'll probably destroy at least a third of this ship! We need to get out of here!" Nicholas exclaimed, fastening his seatbelt.

Mike didn't ask any more questions, but quickly turned the ship around and set the coordinates for light speed.

"That's the most adventure I've had in awhile," Mike commented as he took his helmet off.

"Let's hope you won't have more like it for awhile. How long does this take to jump into light speed?" Nicholas asked.

"About four minutes."

"We can't wait that long."

"Well, what else can we do?"

"I can make it go faster," Nicholas said, closing his eyes.

"Here we go with that hokey stuff again," Mike said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, it's saved you many a time before," Nicholas said with a slight smile.

The ship bucked a couple of times, and then, five seconds later, the stars became streaks of light, and the ship shot away from the danger area.

"The Emperor will not be pleased with your trick," Mike said as several planets came into view.

"Poor, poor Emperor. Let's hope he is nearby when the stuff explodes," Nicholas said.

"I didn't realize you are so vicious!"

"Mike, what do you think will happen if the Emperor continues to thrive? He's evil, several have already tried to destroy him and have failed, and he is wrecking havoc on the galaxy. If you don't think his power will someday personally effect you and your family if he's not destroyed, then you truly don't understand what is happening."

"I don't understand why you can't take over."

"If I took over the galaxy, I would be nothing but a dictator. That's not my job. I'm quite satisfied being the king of Yavin, and that's more than enough work for one man."

"Vanisher would have taken over the galaxy," Mike grinned mischievously.

"Vanisher was a lot younger and a lot more reckless."

"So I've noticed," Mike chuckled.

An hour after returning to Yavin, Nicholas stepped out of his room to hear a great commotion in the hall.

"What is happening?" Crystal asked from his side.

"Sounds like cheering," Nicholas said, and there was no hiding his pleasure.

"Nicholas, what did you do?" Crystal gasped, taking hold of his hand.

"I gave the Emperor a little surprise."

"A little surprise?"

"I don't think he'll be messing with those chemicals again."

Crystal squeezed past him and began to walk towards the end of the hall. Before she had reached it, several of the palace guards and communication experts jumped in front of her, laughing, dancing, and cheering.

"What happened?" Crystal asked.

"The ship that the Emperor was on was completely destroyed!" one of the men shouted.

"What? How?" Crystal asked, stunned.

"There were some explosions. Something went wrong with the machinery on the ship, we think!" another person cheered.

"We are going to tell the rest of the palace! Excuse us, my lady!"

Crystal watched in silent amazement as the group of people continued their stampede through the palace. "Nicholas, what did you do?" she whispered, turned to face him.

"I gave the Emperor the chemicals he asked for," Nicholas shrugged. "Evidently he opened the jars at the wrong time at the wrong place."

"Nicholas, what if he wasn't killed? Do you know how heavily he is going to seek revenge?" Crystal asked fearfully. "He won't stop until he's had revenge!"

"How do you know he got off the ship?"

"I don't, but he could have, couldn't he? Oh Nicholas!"

"Calm down, Crystal. Everything will be all right. One thing is certain. He won't mess with those chemicals again."

"I'm sorry, Nicholas. Perhaps you are right," Crystal sighed, wrapping her arms around him. "I just don't want anything to happen to the baby."

"Don't worry. I am here. You are safe," Nicholas smiled, holding her tightly. "I won't let anything happen to you, or the baby."

"I know," Crystal said quietly, putting her head on his chest. "I know."


	24. Devastation

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Devastation**

The time finally came, much to the joy of everyone in Yavin, when the long awaited for baby was born.

Nicholas squeezed Crystal's hand tightly as the nurse placed their newborn baby in her mother's arms.

"She looks just like you," Nicholas smiled, kissing his wife on the cheek.

"Come now, Nicholas. She's just a baby. How could one such as Vanisher tell such a thing as that?" Crystal smiled, gazing into the baby's dark eyes.

"Jedi intuition."

"Indeed."

"What shall we name her?"

"I almost wish we could name her something after Padme," Crystal said softly.

"No. Leia has Padme's middle name. This baby is a Jade, not a Skywalker. How about Crystal?" Nicholas asked.

"No. We already have one Crystal in the palace," Crystal laughed. "I like the name Mara."

"Mara? Where did you get that name from?" Nicholas asked.

"It's a type of flower."

"From what planet?"

"Our planet. That is the name of the lavender rose. Its petals are bitter-tasting, and so it was named Mara."

"We want our daughter to be bitter?" Nicholas frowned.

"No, but the name is beautiful, and it suits our planet."

"Very well then. We can name her Mara if her middle name is Crystal," Nicholas said stubbornly.

"If you insist. How do you like your name, Mara Crystal Jade?" Crystal smiled down at the baby.

The months began to pass quickly and sweetly. Before either Nicholas or Crystal fully realized it, a year had gone by. The Empire was strangely quiet, much to the discomfort of both Jedi. While other planets were being terrorized and captured, Yavin and Naboo remained untouched. Not so much as one enemy plane ever came near Yavin.

Nicholas was called to two missions during the year, none of which had much to do directly with the Empire. He was in Yavin when Mara learned how to walk and said her first few words. Everyone in the palace loved her dearly, and everyone enjoyed watching her walk about with her parents in the palace or gardens. The people of Yavin grew fond of her as well, and every time she was brought into the town, people gave her gifts.

All went well until Mara was almost a year and a half old. A dear friend came to visit Yavin, bringing with him frightening news.

Nicholas was standing in front of the palace when a familiar ship suddenly dropped out of the sky, coming to land quickly in front of him.

"Obi Wan!" Nicholas shouted, running towards the ship as the cockpit opened and a familiar face with a beard and moustache appeared.

"Nicholas! My dear friend, how good to see you!" Obi Wan exclaimed, jumping off the ship and embracing Nicholas.

"It has been so long since I have seen you! Obi Wan, how nice it is to see you again! What brings you here, friend?" Nicholas smiled.

"A matter of upsetting news, my friend."

"Upsetting news?" Nicholas asked, frowning at the seriousness in Obi Wan's voice.

"Yes. Palpatine has something planned against Yavin. I am not sure what, but I think your planet will soon be attacked."

"I have been wondering what he's up to," Nicholas growled.

"Some believed him to be dead. Your attack was quite successful," Obi Wan said.

"I knew he wasn't dead. I just hoped he wouldn't have the nerve to attack," Nicholas said. "Is that all you came here for?"

"No. I wanted to see the baby and spend a bit of time with you as well. I'm sorry that I should have such bad news," Obi Wan said apologetically.

"That's all right. I needed to know. Come in, Obi Wan. Come in," Nicholas offered, walking to the palace doors and stepping inside as servants opened the doors for him.

"Mara is almost two years old now," Nicholas said as he led Obi Wan down a hall.

"And who does she look like?"

"I think she looks like Crystal, but you will have to see for yourself," Nicholas said, smiling as he knocked on his apartment door. "Crystal, can I bring a visitor in?"

"Yes! Come in!" Crystal called out.

Nicholas opened the door and gestured for Obi Wan to step inside.

Crystal was just finishing Mara's hair, but when she saw Obi Wan, she dropped the brush and leaped off of the couch. "Obi Wan! So good to see you!" she exclaimed, running to him and giving him a large hug.

"So good to see you also, Crystal. Whenever I am with you, it seems as though I am with family," Obi Wan smiled fondly as he returned the hug.

"That's because you are with family. Mara, this is Uncle Obi Wan," Nicholas said, stepping into the room with a large smile on his face.

Mara walked over to Obi Wan, and the Jedi master was astonished by the brilliance of her green eyes and the redness of her hair. He knelt down before her, holding his hand out in front of him.

"Hello Mara," he smiled, watching as the little girl took a step closer to him.

Mara didn't say anything, but put her hand in Obi Wan's and allowed him to shake it.

"I am sure she is getting the best Jedi training available?" Obi Wan asked, looking up at Nicholas.

"Of course. Crystal and I have already acquainted her with the ways of the force," Nicholas nodded. "She is very strong for one so young and is an eager learner."

"I am sure she gets it from her parents," Obi Wan complimented, standing back up. "I had hoped that I might be able to stay with you for a short while. Living alone on Tatooine can be so dull sometimes, and I know that I'm quite safe here."

"Of course you are welcome to stay!" Crystal exclaimed, putting her arm through his. "Let me bring you to an available apartment. Come, Mara."

Several days of bliss passed before a strong, frightening feeling overpowered Nicholas. He woke up with a feeling of terror, and everyone in the palace noted throughout the day that his mind was elsewhere. He walked about with a creased forehead and sweat dripping down his face as he tried desperately to understand what was wrong.

That night, after Mara had been put to bed in her room, which was directly next to Nicholas and Crystal's, Crystal went back into her room to see Nicholas standing on the balcony outside, his hands clasped behind him and his face looking up at the sky.

"What is it, Nicholas? I've felt it all day also, but I don't know what it is," Crystal said, moving next to him and taking his hand in hers.

"I'm not sure. I think the Empire is on the move," Nicholas said quietly.

"On the move?"

"To attack us."

Crystal didn't say anything, and Nicholas looked down at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"You knew that, didn't you?" he asked.

"I've been having dreams, Nicholas," Crystal gulped, allowing him to move her in front of him and hold her.

"What kind of dreams?"

"Dreams about you…getting killed."

"It could be a mind trick."

"No, I don't think it is," Crystal said, turning in his arms and looking up at his face, her cheeks wet. "Something dreadful is about to happen. I won't let you die!"

"Shh. Everything will be all right," Nicholas whispered, holding her close.

"No, it won't be this time," Crystal choked.

How long the two stood there before they returned to their room and went to sleep, they didn't know. Sleep didn't come easily to Nicholas, who had never seen Crystal as troubled as she was. He watched her as she slept and then finally drifted off to sleep.

An hour later, a horrific explosion awakened both Jedi. They both leaped out of bed, grabbing their lightsabers as they did so.

"What was that?" Crystal gasped, crouching by her bed.

"I don't know," Nicholas said, getting up and going to the apartment door. He opened it to see several guards rushing about, all talking at once. "What is happening?" he shouted above the sound of yelling and alarms.

"Our power units and communication systems were all cut off! We can't figure out how to get them back on!" One of the men shouted to him.

"They are coming," Obi Wan said from Nicholas' side.

"What can we do? We don't know how many of them are coming, and we have no contact with any of the systems!" Nicholas growled.

"Nicholas! Come here quickly!" Crystal shouted from their apartment, and Nicholas and Obi Wan both ran into the room.

Crystal was gesturing to them from the balcony, and they both joined her there.

"Look at the sky," she whispered, pointing a finger up to the darkened night sky. There, approaching rapidly from the north, were hundreds of lights, glowing red against the black blanket of sky.

"Our communication systems are jammed?" Crystal gulped.

"Yes," Nicholas said, sweat rolling down his forehead.

"Then we cannot win."

"You are right," Nicholas frowned, running to the entrance of his apartment. "Send all fighters into the air and give the order for everyone to evacuate!" he shouted. He turned to Obi Wan, his face white. "Obi Wan, I need you to get Mara and bring her somewhere safe until I notify you."

"What? I cannot leave you two alone to fight!" Obi Wan gasped.

"Obi Wan, we need Mara to be safe! We are the Undefeatable Jedi. We can care for ourselves! Please, get Mara away from here!" Crystal pleaded, and Obi Wan looked at both of the Jedi carefully.

Sirens were wailing in the background, throughout the entire surrounding areas and the palace. The enemy planes were already firing at everything in sight and Yavin's fighters were just beginning to get off the ground, preparing to protect everyone who was evacuating.

"What should I do if something happens to both of you?" Obi Wan asked quietly.

"Raise Mara in the ways of the force," Nicholas said.

Obi Wan opened his mouth to speak again, but a quiet voice caused him to close it again.

"I'm scared."

Crystal put her lightsaber down for a moment and then knelt on the floor, her arms open to her daughter.

"Come here, Mara. You are about to go on a trip with Uncle Obi Wan."

Mara ran to her mother and gave her the biggest hug she could. Tears flowed down Crystal's cheeks as she hugged her daughter, and Nicholas felt an overwhelming love and sadness flowing through her. It was with great hesitation and unhappiness that Crystal let go of Mara and watched as Nicholas picked her up in her arms.

"You take care of Uncle Obi Wan, you understand?" he said, and Mara smiled and nodded. "Good, because I don't want him getting into trouble."

Nicholas handed Mara to Obi Wan, who held her in his arms and looked nervously at Nicholas and Crystal. "You both be careful."

"We will be," Nicholas said, giving him a light hug. Crystal went to him next and squeezed him tightly.

"Please, take good care of Mara," she said.

"I will."

Obi Wan turned with Mara and began to leave the room, Mara looking over his shoulder as he did so.

"I love you, Mara!" Crystal choked, waving to her daughter.

"I love you too!" Mara called back, smiling as she disappeared from sight.

"Now, to business," Nicholas said, igniting his lightsaber. "We have a planet to save and an Empire to destroy."

Within moments Nicholas and Crystal were running into the throne room where most of the Royal Council was waiting.

"There you are! We were worried you were hurt! Where is the princess?" Chancellor Arin asked as Nicholas and Crystal came to a stop in front of him.

"Mara is being taken off the planet by Obi Wan. Has anyone been evacuated yet?" Nicholas asked.

"Many have tried to, but the sky is too full of enemy planes for anyone to get out," Chancellor Arin said, grabbing hold of a chair as the ground shook from an explosion.

"Someone has to help them get out," Crystal said.

"Who…" Nicholas began, but then suddenly stopped and grabbed Crystal's arm. "Everyone, get under something!" he shouted, pulling Crystal with him beneath a great stone table.

Ten seconds later, the entire ceiling of the throne room, made of heavy rock and concrete, crumbled to pieces, falling onto the chairs, tables, and other pieces of furniture that everyone was hiding beneath.

"They are after us," Crystal whispered, pushing a large rock away from her with the force.

"We can't leave until our people are out of harm's way," Nicholas coughed, dust puffing up into his nose and mouth.

"Anybody know where Vanisher is?" a voice suddenly shouted, and Crystal looked worriedly at Nicholas.

"Who is that?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, but he sounds familiar. What do you want?" Nicholas shouted, beginning to move stones away from him.

"Help's on the way, as well as enemy droids," the man replied, his voice near Nicholas' head.

A few seconds later, the rocks had been removed, and Nicholas was gazing into the face of Talon Karrde.

"You again," Nicholas sighed, getting out from under the table and gazing about at the destruction.

"Yes. I saw the Empire heading for here and decided to get help for you."

"What help did you get?"

Before Talon could answer, the air was suddenly filled with the screaming of engines, and Naboo and Alderaan fighters, accompanied by a variety of smuggling freights, roared above them. As soon as they passed, everyone in the throne room turned to see droids climbing over the rubbish, ugly blasters in hand.

The throne room was violently filled with blaster fire and the hum of lightsabers, and Crystal and Nicholas, followed by all of their comrades in the room, began to move backwards towards another door in the throne room.

There was nothing more left of the next room, but the people fighting to protect Yavin didn't care. They ran into the city streets, making a brave effort to protect some of the people while explosives dropped unmercifully from the enemy fighters.

"We can't hold up much longer!" Talon shouted above the explosions as he, Crystal and Nicholas ran through one of the streets.

"I know, but we have to find away to get the people past the Imperial fighters! They need to get away from here!" Nicholas shouted back.

The group raced into an open courtyard, and just as they were about to run into an adjoining alley, a fighter plane flew over them and opened fire on the surrounding buildings. The walls began to fall, and Nicholas, Talon and Crystal dropped to the ground.

"Try and hold up as much wall as you can!" Nicholas shouted to Crystal, putting a force grip on one of the walls as it began to fall towards him.

Crystal didn't answer, but also worked steadily to keep the walls from falling too quickly. Even with their efforts combined, the walls did land on them, although they fell much slower than they originally would have.

It took several minutes for Nicholas and Crystal to dig their way out of the stones and brick, and when they finally surfaced, they were met with blasters and other various weapons pointed at them. They both looked around for a way of escape, but they were thoroughly surrounded by droids, droidekas, and those small, dog-like creatures with the ability to cut off the flow of the force.

"Nicholas, what do we do?" Crystal asked worriedly.

"What do all of you want?" Nicholas shouted, and the droids began to part, allowing a walkway to pass through them.

A dark figure in a billowing black cloak and shiny black armor appeared, his breathing deep and loud.

"The Emperor has been expecting you," he said.

"Anakin, surely your couldn't have had a hand in this!" Crystal gasped, all hope leaving her as one of their planes flew wildly out of control ahead and hit a wall, exploding and sending shrapnel everywhere.

"The Emperor only wants you," Darth Vader said.

"Of course he does, and we won't go to him. It will only take a few lightsaber slashes to kill off those dogs of yours, and then a tiny bit of force work would kill off the rest of you," Nicholas snarled.

"It would also kill off all of them," Darth Vader growled, gesturing to the sky.

Nicholas and Crystal looked up to see hundreds of transportation vessels trapped beneath huge Imperial fighters. The people of Yavin were trapped, with no way out, including several of the Yavin, Naboo, and Alderaan fighters.

"How did you manage to trap them all?" Nicholas asked, amazed.

"Cloaking shields are very useful and deadly, as you yourself once pointed out."

"You traitor! I can at least kill you off!" Nicholas shouted, leaping out of the debris and rushing towards Darth Vader.

"Attack me, Nicholas, and all of those people die! I have given orders to fighters to destroy every single one of those planes if you try anything foolish," Darth Vader warned.

"If I had the strength right now, I could destroy you as well as every single one of your ships!" Nicholas snapped.

"But you don't have the strength, do you? The force is cut off from you. What will it be, Nicholas? An attempt to spare yourself and Crystal and kill off all your people, or a peaceful surrender and your people go free?" Darth Vader asked.

"They won't go free. You and your master will see to it that they are made into slaves," Nicholas frowned.

"Nicholas, we have to surrender. Later, we can worry about truly freeing them," Crystal said tiredly.

"We won't kill them if you surrender. The Emperor wants new workers and your planet. They won't be killed," Darth Vader persisted. "As it is, without the force you are as good as dead anyhow. Try to save yourselves, and you'll die, as well as your people."

"Nicholas, we have to give up," Crystal said, putting her hand in Nicholas'. "We don't have a choice. Besides," she said, putting her mouth next to Nicholas' ear and whispering, "Obi Wan could be trapped amongst the other ships."

The thought of his daughter in jeopardy cleared Nicholas' thinking greatly, and he squeezed Crystal's hand and nodded slowly.

"Very well then. We surrender, Anakin. See to it that my people are released."


	25. Loss of a Hero

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Loss of a Hero**

Guards came to Nicholas and Crystal and bound their hands with glowing handcuffs, taking their lightsabers from them and pushing them into line in the midst of over fifty droids. Talon was left alone, and he watched, with deep regret, as Nicholas and Crystal were led after Darth Vader to a ship in the distance.

As soon as Nicholas and Crystal were in secure cells aboard the ship, the enemy planes began to move away from Yavin, allowing the people to escape.

"Nicholas, I am frightened. This was all just an attempt to capture us and destroy us," Crystal whispered, leaning against Nicholas in their cell as the ship moved into space.

"The Emperor is no match for us, Crystal."

"Then why did he have us captured?"

"I'm not sure," Nicholas gulped, tightening his hold on her. "He may have also wanted to capture Yavin and use it for his own devices."

"Nicholas, he wants us dead. You know that," Crystal shivered.

"We should be able to escape."

"Not if he cuts off our flow of the force."

"We can still use lightsabers."

"Not if we don't have them and our hands are bound," Crystal whispered.

"That's true. I'll think of something," Nicholas sighed. "He certainly wouldn't mind destroying us while we are helpless. Coward that he is, he wouldn't mind at all. He'd be afraid to fight against us and would like just as much to mow us down without giving us a chance to protect ourselves."

"So long as Mara is safe, I suppose I shall be alright," Crystal said, closing her eyes.

Nicholas didn't answer, but kept holding her, trembling nervously. He was afraid. If they didn't have the force, then the Emperor would surely have them shot down or he would kill them himself. Nicholas tried to remember all of his training at Jabba's, all of his escape tactics. He tried for a long time to think of a plan, and then he also closed his eyes and slept.

Nicholas and Crystal were roughly awakened by a harsh voice a few hours later, and they were ordered to get to their feet. None of the guards spoke to them as they were ushered towards the entrance of the ship. There were four dog-like creatures, which Nicholas had learned were called "Vornsk," accompanying them, as well as over twenty guards.

"These handcuffs are very uncomfortable," Nicholas frowned, wriggling his hands a bit to try and loosen his bonds.

"Nicholas," Crystal choked, and Nicholas looked up from his hands.

They had arrived at the entrance of the ship and had stepped onto the plank leading out of the ship. Stretched before them, as far as they could see, were storm troopers, all heavily armored and with blasters in hand.

"It appears we have arrived at the Emperor's ship," Nicholas growled, beginning to wriggle his hands even more.

"March!" A guard snapped from behind them.

"We will have to walk in between them?" Crystal whispered.

"Looks like it."

"They will kill us!"

"Not unless they were ordered to," Nicholas said, a strange glow beginning to radiate in his eyes.

"What is it?" Crystal asked, studying his face carefully.

"Do you think you can get rid of the Vornsk for a few minutes?"

"Possibly."

"When I say, get rid of them. Kick them into the ship or wherever you want, I don't care so long as it's away from me," Nicholas smiled.

"What about Anakin? He's right behind us."

"Don't worry about him. He won't be able to do anything for a few seconds."

The Jedi stepped off the plank and into the midst of the hundreds of storm troopers. Crystal gazed up at Nicholas expectantly as they took a few steps. Her husband didn't have a sign of concern on his face and everything looked normal except for his glowing eyes.

Nicholas waited until Darth Vader was a good distance behind them before he suddenly turned his head to Crystal. "Now!" he ordered.

Crystal dropped to the floor; her leg outstretched, and sent a Vornsk howling across the room, slamming into guards and ships. As she did so, Nicholas began to strain his muscles, forcing his wrists to rub against the handcuffs. Every nerve in his body was strained as he weakened the handcuffs and finally paid no heed to them as they clattered to the floor.

No one in the hangar, except for Nicholas and Crystal, truly understood what happened in the seconds following. Nicholas clasped his hands together in front of him and a wave of energy suddenly flowed from him, causing all of the storm troopers to fall back, landing hard on the floor with a clatter or armor. Crystal knelt at his feet, prepared for the assault, and she stayed there while the wave suddenly thrust itself into the walls, causing the Star Destroyer to shudder from front to back.

Before Nicholas could do anything more, Darth Vader had grabbed his wrists and had held him tightly, fearfully, as guards placed not one, but four sets of handcuffs on Nicholas' wrists.

"If these didn't work before, Anakin, do you really think they'll work now?" Nicholas asked, a gleam in his eyes as he was shoved forward and Crystal was forced to stand up next to him.

"You must be trying to get yourself killed," Darth Vader sneered, staying directly behind Nicholas and Crystal as they were shoved into another room, the storm troopers only beginning to try and stand up again.

"What I wanted to accomplish I did," Nicholas said, glancing at Crystal as she walked steadfastly next to him. "I suppose the Emperor wants to see us now?"

"Of course. He knew you would be coming," Darth Vader growled and then stepped past them into an adjoining room. "They are here, my master."

"Ah, Nicholas and Crystal Jade, how thoughtful of you to visit us," Emperor Palpatine chuckled as he stood up from his throne and the double doors slid shut behind the Jedi.

"What do you want? If it is Yavin, the whole planet has been evacuated and there is nothing for you to get," Crystal spoke.

"I have what I want right here," Palpatine spoke, walking down the stairs to stand in front of them, gesturing for several of the red guards to move into place around the Jedi. "You hoped you wouldn't see me again, didn't you?" he asked Nicholas.

"I noticed the extra limp in your step, Palpatine. Didn't get burned, did you?" Nicholas asked.

"I suppose you thought I had forgotten about you," Palpatine smiled, moving over to Crystal. "I always had the feeling that you two cared much too much for each other."

"Two Undefeatable Jedi as a team must be quite a fright for you," Crystal replied. "You had the Council convinced for so long that it would be dangerous."

"And they believed me," Palpatine said.

"What did you bring us here for? Surely not so that you can gloat," Nicholas frowned.

"In order to conquer the entire galaxy, I need you both out of my way," Palpatine said. "If you both are dead, there will be no one else to threaten me."

"You are mistaken," Nicholas said threateningly, glaring at the Emperor. "Not only are you mistaken, but you can't kill us. We are too powerful."

"Someone as clever as you are much surely understand the power of the weapons that my guards hold within their hands, Nicholas."

Nicholas glanced at the weapons the guards held and gulped nervously. "I know how much power they have," he said.

"You and Crystal are both without power now, and so you are helpless against my men and myself," Palpatine said.

"I thought you were man enough to kill us yourself," Crystal spoke up.

Palpatine turned his head abruptly to look at her, an unkind smile on his face. "What an excellent suggestion," he said.

"Crystal, what are you doing?" Nicholas whispered nervously as Palpatine took a step towards her.

Crystal didn't answer, but matched Palpatine's gaze with her own. The Emperor raised his hands, but before any energy bolts could be emitted from them, Crystal leaped into action. The glowing objects binding her hands snapped, the two lightsabers that were hidden within the Emperor's robe flew into her hands, and Nicholas, after one smooth thrust of the lightsaber blade, was free.

"The guards, Crystal!" Nicholas shouted, igniting his lightsaber and swinging it wildly as he raced towards the Emperor.

Crystal didn't answer him, but he could hear, as he charged the evil Jedi, guards shouting in terror. They began to fire their weapons, explosive sounds erupting from the barrels as they tried frantically to keep Crystal away. Four of them fell to the ground, and Crystal was about to knock down the others, when a glowing red blade suddenly placed itself atop her teal one. The guards, having been forgotten momentarily, left the room, shouting for reinforcements.

"I believe, if you were trained properly, that you were taught never to use the force as a weapon," Darth Vader hissed as his blade clashed against Crystal's.

"I was trained not to use the force for attack," Crystal corrected, swinging her lightsaber at him, ignoring the storm troopers that were rapidly entering the room.

"You must surrender, Crystal."

Crystal laughed and shook her head. "I think not."

Nicholas, in the meantime, was charging Palpatine, hitting each bolt of energy accurately that was erupting from the Emperor. The evil man had lost all control of himself and was throwing the bolts in a crazed fashion at the Undefeatable Jedi who was approaching him. All dignity and restraint had left the wicked man, and he thought only of killing Nicholas.

"You cannot survive!" Palpatine roared as Nicholas took a step closer, another bolt ricocheting off his lightsaber.

Nicholas didn't answer, but his mouth twitched as one of the bolts struck him in the arm.

"In a matter of moments, you and your precious weakness will both be destroyed!"

Nicholas continued walking and swinging his lightsaber, and two minutes later, he was directly in front of the Emperor.

"Today's not your day, Palpatine!" he shouted, raising his lightsaber to deliver one last blow.

The Emperor's eyes were glittering maliciously as he continued to gaze at Nicholas. "Now," he whispered menacingly, "you shall meet your end, Nicholas Jade!"

A glitter of uncertainty shot through Nicholas' eyes, and a sudden wave of warning washed over him. He turned his head just in time to see a bounty hunter, dressed from head to foot in armor, aiming a blaster at him.

Nicholas was about to remark on the weakness of a blaster bolt when Crystal suddenly let out a shout.

"No!" she screamed, leaping away from Darth Vader and beginning to run towards Nicholas.

The blaster suddenly fired, and Crystal slammed into Nicholas, her lightsaber held in defense in front of her as Nicholas fell to the floor and the fire from the blaster approached at lightning speed.

Less than a second later, the blast had seared, impossibly, through the lightsaber, and Crystal fell to the floor with a groan.

Nicholas was immediately on his knees, overlooking his fallen wife.

"Crystal, what happened?" he shouted, taking her hands in his and glancing at the stain that was slowly growing in Crystal's shoulder.

"It wasn't a regular blaster shot," Crystal choked, squeezing his hands.

"What?" Nicholas gasped, his face turning white and cold sweat dripping down his face.

"It was that chemical you tried to destroy," Crystal said weakly, the color beginning to drain from her face.

"Now we only have one Undefeatable Jedi left to destroy," Palpatine said from behind Nicholas.

Nicholas stood up and turned to face him, but a few seconds later, he was back on the floor, trying to protect Crystal from the energy bolts that were flying towards her. As hard as Nicholas tried, his efforts were not all effective. Crystal was hit several times, and beneath his loving protection, she began to fail.

As the energy bolts grew harsher, Nicholas forgot about them, but lay next to Crystal, holding her tightly, tears streaming down the woman's cheeks.

"I can't lose you," he whispered as the bolts racked his body.

"You must continue to protect the galaxy," Crystal whispered back, rapidly fading. "And Mara, Nicholas. You must protect her."

One of the energy bolts suddenly caught Nicholas' attention, and he glanced up from Crystal and glared at the Emperor, his eyes burning through the man.

"I want a few minutes of privacy left with my wife," he growled, and then stood up slowly, the bolts still flying at him. He ignored them and glanced about the room at his enemies. Then, gathering what little strength he had left, he flung his arms out to his sides, and everyone except for Crystal and himself went flying into the walls and ceiling. They all landed on the floor at almost the same time, and all were unconscious or too weak for the moment to get back up.

Nicholas knelt back on the ground again and gathered Crystal into his arms. Her breathing was greatly labored, and she gazed up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I have been so happy, Nicholas," she choked, her lips trembling as she gently raised a hand to Nicholas' cheek. "I love you so much."

"I can stop you from dying," Nicholas said, putting his hand atop hers and closing his eyes tightly.

"Anakin thought he could also," Crystal smiled slightly.

"He wasn't the Undefeatable Jedi."

"People aren't meant to be stopped from dying, otherwise they will live forever. Now you will be stronger, Nicholas, for your weakness shall be gone. Don't cry. We shall see each other again," Crystal said sadly.

"You were never my weakness! You were always my strength! Don't leave me, Crystal! I couldn't bear it!" Nicholas wailed.

"You must take care of Mara, Nicholas. Teach her and always tell her that I love her," Crystal pleaded.

"I will! Crystal, don't go!"

"I must, Nicholas."

"I love you so much! Don't leave me!"

"I love you, Nicholas, and I always will. I'll never stop loving you," Crystal said, taking his face in her hands and kissing him. She then let go and slipped gently to the floor, one last, radiant smile on her face. Then, she closed her eyes and disappeared entirely.

The unconscious people in the room began to stir, but Nicholas paid no heed. He gazed at the floor where his wife had just been, hot tears of anger and misery streaming from his eyes. He stood up slowly, just as Darth Vader was beginning to get up.

"Master," Darth Vader said loudly to Palpatine, "we must leave! Hurry! We must!"

He lifted Palpatine up the rest of the way and then began to run out of the room, soldiers following him out hastily.

Nicholas let them run, never taking his eyes off the floor. Only a few seconds later, he suddenly looked up at the ceiling and screamed, "No!"

The sound of the scream echoed throughout the entire ship, and the ship slowly began to disintegrate from the inside out. Ceilings began to cave in, explosives erupted, walls crumbled, power switched on and off, and doors got jammed.

Nicholas collapsed on the floor, wailing loudly, not paying the slightest attention to the chaos that was happening around him.

Deep in one of the corridors, Palpatine and Darth Vader came to a stop.

"We must go back!" Palpatine shouted, flinging Vader's hand off him. "He is angry now and will be susceptible to the dark side."

"He will kill you!" Vader shouted, and a vicious roaring sound suddenly became audible from the far side of the wall.

A few seconds later, a gust of fire roared into the room, and Vader pulled Palpatine into an open doorway.

"Master, I will go to Nicholas first and get him to calm down just a bit. He will kill you if you go in there now. Let me go in first, Master!"

"Go then, and hurry. I will be there shortly with some of the guards and more of the chemicals," Palpatine scowled, and then watched as Vader raced away from him, his black cloak billowing out behind as he raced through the halls.

Nicholas would have been entirely susceptible to the dark side at that moment, for a war was raging in and around him, and he took no notice of it. He lay stretched out on the floor, his tears falling as a waterfall onto the cold ground. As the seconds progressed, however, he became stronger, and his eyes began to glow with menace. He stood up shakily, still gazing at the ground and not noticing Darth Vader entering the room and beginning to run towards him.

"Nicholas!" Vader shouted, coming to a stop directly behind the grieving Jedi.

"You killed her," Nicholas whispered and then violently spun around, taking a tight hold on Vader's neck.

"Nicholas, stop it before you get hurt!" Vader shouted, terrified by the immense amount of strength that was surging through his body from Nicholas.

"Why should I stop?" Nicholas growled, tears streaming from his eyes, which were almost entirely green, leaving no white.

"Because if you don't, you'll become like the Emperor," Vader gasped, falling to his knees.

"Wouldn't that make you happy?" Nicholas choked, his eyes beginning to clear again. "Isn't that what you want?"

"No, I don't," Darth Vader said as Nicholas began to release his hold on him. "The galaxy is faring badly enough with one Emperor. You would be stronger and more deadly. I don't want that. You are the last hope for the good side, Nicholas. Don't let yourself became trapped in the darkness of the force like I have."

A shudder shot through Nicholas' body, and he fell to the floor again, his fists clenched.

"If I had never married her, she would still be alive!" he groaned.

"Nicholas, get up," Darth Vader said, taking hold of one of Nicholas' arms. "Get up!"

Nicholas didn't stop crying, and he was near unconsciousness, due to his misery and the enormous amount of strength that was flowing from his body, destroying the ship that encased him. He didn't feel himself being lifted gently into the air, didn't feel himself being lowered carefully into someone's arms. The moment Darth Vader began to walk, holding Nicholas, Nicholas became unconscious.

Moments later, Nicholas awoke to feel someone shaking his shoulder and calling his name.

"Nicholas, wake up. You are back at your ship."

Nicholas opened his eyes to see Darth Vader leaning over him, his frightening mask illuminated by flames that were surging throughout the hangar.

"Get up and leave, before the Emperor gets you again," Darth Vader said, helping Nicholas to his feet.

"Why are you doing this?" Nicholas mumbled, his eyes glaring into the mask.

"Because, I don't want the dark side to win."

"Come with me, Anakin."

"I cannot. It is too late for me. Here, take this and leave," Darth Vader said, taking something from one of his pockets and handing it to Nicholas.

Nicholas looked at the dainty, beautiful necklace with the green gem and diamonds on it, and tears again began to surge from his eyes, soaking his face.

"Crystal's death will have been in vain if you don't leave," Darth Vader said gently, and Nicholas looked up at him again.

To Vader's surprise, the last Undefeatable Jedi suddenly reached out and wrapped his arms about Vader's damaged, armor-covered body.

"Anakin, I know you think you are lost, but you aren't. There is still good in you. Come back to us," Nicholas said, squeezing him tightly.

It took several seconds for Vader to find something to say, and when he finally spoke, his voice was dark and threatening again.

"There is no longer good in me. Now get out of here!"

Nicholas turned and raced into his X-Wing, which had also been captured, closing the hull over him just as storm troopers began to race into the hangar. Before they had a chance to attack, the X-Wing had shot into the air and had disappeared from sight into the starry galaxy beyond.

Darth Vader stood quietly, watching as the last lights of the X-Wing disappeared, and then he turned and walked hastily back to where the Emperor was waiting.

Nicholas was in a dazed stupor as he flew his X-Wing through space towards the Corellian planets where Obi Wan had told him he would be. The love of his life had just died, the love that he had promised to die for if ever the opportunity arose that he had to. Instead, in what had seemed as though it was hours, Crystal had given her life for him, had died a painful death so that he wouldn't have to.

"I'll destroy them all," Nicholas whispered to himself, hot tears of anger streaming down his cheeks as the dark blue and brown Corellian planets came into view. He let the force guide him to Obi Wan's whereabouts, for he was too bitter to think clearly, and he was too stooped in grief.

Before Nicholas even realized it, he had landed his X-Wing on a small landing pad. He exited his ship and then began to walk towards the doors that led out of the enclosure.

Standing quietly against the door was Obi Wan Kenobi, his arms folded across his chest. He was about to say something, but the look of darkness and malice in Nicholas' eyes caused him to change his mind and say something else.

"Calm yourself, Nicholas."

Nicholas snapped out of his thinking and looked up at Obi Wan

"They killed her, Obi Wan. Mercilessly and wickedly, they killed her."

"Are you sure? I felt your agony, Nicholas, but I didn't feel hers," Obi Wan asked, stopping Nicholas by putting both hands on Nicholas' shoulders.

"I'm sure. She died in my arms and disappeared completely," Nicholas said, his voice beginning to have a high pitch to it as his emotions began to get the better of him again.

"Nicholas…" Obi Wan started, but Nicholas stopped him.

"I'm going to destroy every last one of them! They deserve nothing less than death! The Emperor will be destroyed!" Nicholas shouted, clenching his fists.

"Nicholas, stop it! Listen to yourself!" Obi Wan yelled, giving Nicholas a rough shake. "Wake up! You sound like Anakin!"

"Anakin?" Nicholas whispered, and his whole body suddenly relaxed. "You are right. I do sound like Anakin."

Obi Wan gazed at Nicholas in confusion, trying to understand the many thoughts that were going through the young man's head.

"Anakin doesn't want the Empire to win. If I try to destroy them, it will destroy me. I have to go on for Anakin."

"And Mara," Obi Wan said quietly. "She has been waiting for you."

"Where is she?" Nicholas gasped, a wave of panic rushing through him.

"She is in good hands. I left her with Mike Solo and his family so I could come and get you. She is safe. Come," Obi Wan said, taking Nicholas by the arm and leading him out of the hangar. "Let's go see her."

The bitter anger began to ease away from Nicholas as he and Obi Wan walked through the city. It was apparent that the planet was mostly composed of smugglers and bounty hunters, but strangely, they all seemed to be at peace with one another in the city. Children raced about the streets, laughing and playing. Women stood about, talking together.

"This is the Solo house," Obi Wan said, stopping in front of a circular, dark blue home.

He and Nicholas stepped inside, and Nicholas forgot his pain momentarily when he saw water flowing gently down the dark walls and into gutters in the floor.

"This place is so strange," Nicholas commented as they entered another room, amazed at the vegetation that grew in the house.

"Mike found many of these plants on different planets. He and his wife love plants," Obi Wan explained.

In the adjoining room sat Mike Solo. He was sitting on the floor, playing with Mara and a little boy who looked the spitting image of his father.

"Nicholas, you made it!" he said when he caught sight of the Jedi, and he stood up, a concerned expression on his face. "Where is Crystal?"

Nicholas didn't answer, but knelt down on the floor and opened his arms to Mara, who ran to him and wrapped her small arms around his neck. Nicholas buried his face in her golden red hair and let the tears fall. "Mom will no longer be with us," he whispered to Mara, and she tightened her grip on him.

Mike glanced at Obi Wan, who stood quietly, gazing at Nicholas with great concern on his face.

"Your majesty, come and rest," a soft voice said from the doorway, and Nicholas looked up to see a woman with dark brown eyes and plaited gold hair standing before him.

"This is my wife, Rielle," Mike introduced as Nicholas stood up.

"A pleasure to meet you," Nicholas bowed politely and Rielle smiled.

"You look exhausted. Let me show you your room so you can get some rest," Rielle spoke, beginning to lead him out of the room.

Nicholas turned to look at Mara, who was again playing with Mike's son.

"I'm afraid for her, Obi Wan," he said. "The Emperor will be after her."

"Don't worry about the Emperor now, Nicholas. You need to get some rest. Go to sleep," Obi Wan said, sitting down next to Mara on the floor. "She will be safe for the time being."

After Nicholas was brought to his room and Rielle left, he collapsed onto his bed and immediately fell asleep, tears still on his face.

Several hours later, a kind voice woke Nicholas.

"Nicholas, wake up. It is time to eat."

"I don't want to get up, Obi Wan. I'd rather lay here and die in peace," Nicholas mumbled, rolling over.

"Enough of that kind of talk. You will be fine. Get up, Nicholas. You need to eat," Obi Wan said, and Nicholas rolled over to look at him.

"I'm in the middle of mourning. Why should I eat?"

"Because you need to strengthen yourself. You also need to tend to your wounds. You were hurt too, you know."

Nicholas stood up and gazed at himself. He had numerous rips in his outfit, and blood clots covered his clothes.

"You are right," he said tiredly, limping towards the door. "I forgot about everything except Crystal."

Mike and his family were already seated at the table, Mara sitting next to Mike's son.

"I never asked what your son's name is, Mike," Nicholas yawned, sitting down at the head of the table and then standing back up again. "I shouldn't be sitting here. You are the master of the house, Mike."

"And you are a king. It would do us honor for you to sit at the head," Mike smiled.

Nicholas nodded his head slowly and then sat back down.

"Our son's name is Han," Mike said, taking a bite out of his food. "He hopes to be a great smuggler one day."

"Like his father," Rielle smiled, putting her hand on Mike's.

"What do you intend to do now? Return to Yavin?" Mike asked.

"No. Everyone evacuated Yavin, and the Empire most likely has destroyed everything there. I'll have to go into hiding with Mara," Nicholas sighed.

"You are welcome to leave Mara here while you fight the Empire, if you wish," Mike offered.

"No. Mara is all I have left. I must protect her at all cost. The Empire is most likely searching for her, and I don't want to endanger your family," Nicholas said tiredly. "We shall have to leave later today."

"Where will you go?" Rielle asked.

"I'm not sure yet. Alderaan may have somewhere for us to hide. They have a strong defense system that they would be willing to assist us with," Nicholas said.

"What about Tatooine? It has too many low life forms for the Empire to go there," Mike suggested.

"I don't want Mara growing up the way I did."

"Jabba would be willing to take you back, I'm sure," Mike said.

"Indeed he would, but I don't want Mara being raised in his palace. Imagine a princess growing up with the scum of the universe!" Nicholas chuckled.

"I could take care of her," Han piped up, and Nicholas turned his head to look at the little boy.

"You could, Han?"

"Sure. No Empire could ever catch me!" Han replied.

"Of course not," Nicholas said quietly, another voice suddenly cutting into his thoughts.

"_I'm Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon. She's the fastest ship in the fleet!"_

"Nicholas?" Mike asked, gazing at the small smile that had formed on the Jedi's face.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm just fine. You're right, Han. The Empire probably won't be able to catch you. But wait until you grow up before you try and mess with them," Nicholas smiled. "Mara is going to have to stay with me. Thank you for offering to take care of her."

Han puffed up his chest a bit and then continued eating.

That afternoon, Nicholas placed Mara in his seat in the X-Wing and then climbed back down the ladder and turned to Obi Wan.

"I hope this isn't good-bye for good," Obi Wan said, wrapping Nicholas in a great hug.

"I don't think it is, Obi Wan. May the force be with you," Nicholas said, gently pulling away. "Mike," he said, turning to the smuggler and holding out his hand. "Thank you for everything."

"No problem, Nicholas. Take care," Mike smiled, shaking his hand.

"And Han, no messing with the Empire, okay?" Nicholas grinned holding out his hand to Han.

"If you say so," Han frowned, shaking his hand.

Nicholas climbed back up to his ship and placed Mara in front of him. He waved one last time as the hull began to close over them, and then strapped himself and Mara in.

"Where are we going, Dad?" Mara asked as the X-Wing began to lift into the air.

"I'm not sure yet," Nicholas said.


	26. The Emperor's Hand

**Chapter Twenty-Six: The Emperor's Hand**

A voice spoke through Nicholas' headset a few minutes later.

"Nicholas, get out of there!" Obi Wan said worriedly.

"What's wrong?"

"The Empire is headed your way! I just received word from Blake that there is a great space battle headed towards the Corellian planets! Get to safety!"

"Where should I go?"

"Come back down here! Can you see them yet?"

Nicholas glanced at his computer and at that second, several red dots began to appear on the screen. "I see them! I'm coming back!" he shouted. "But wait, I don't want to put the planet in danger!"

"You don't want them to get Mara, Nicholas! If they do, the Emperor himself is going to take over!"

"I'm close to Endor, Obi Wan! I'll land there!"

"I'll meet you there, Nicholas. It looks like the pilots are really going to need your help!"

Fifteen minutes later, Nicholas dropped his X-Wing out of space and caused it to land in the woods of Endor. He helped Mara out of the cockpit and brought her under some great trees, gazing up worriedly at the sky as he did so.

A vicious storm was brewing, and black clouds rolled together in the sky above. Red flashes of light shone through the clouds, lasers from the above space battle.

"Dad, what is happening?" Mara asked, putting her arms around Nicholas' neck and gazing up at the sky with fright.

"There is a battle, Mara. Look, here comes Uncle Obi Wan," Nicholas said, watching as Obi Wan's ship dropped from the sky and came to land next to his X-Wing.

Obi Wan was out and running towards them in a matter of seconds.

"Blake really needs your help, Nicholas!" he said, stopping next to Nicholas and Mara. "It's really bad up there!"

"It appears to be. You take Mara, Obi Wan. I'm going back up," Nicholas said, handing Mara to Obi Wan. "Mara, stay with your uncle. I will be back soon," he said and then began to run towards his ship.

As Nicholas left the Endor system and arrived at the battle, he was stunned by how intense it was. Naboo and Alderaan fighters plunged in and out of great Star Destroyers and Imperial battle ships. Green and red lasers flew about wildly, explosions occurring at a dangerous pace.

"Blake, what's going on?" Nicholas asked, joining the battle.

"The Empire is searching for someone. We learned about it from a spy and decided to stop them before they could succeed!" Blake shouted. "Thanks for joining us!"

"Who are they after?"

"You! We had to chase them out of Alderaan. You destroyed one of their Star Destroyers and they want revenge!"

A voice cut into Nicholas' thoughts, cold and hard.

"_Give up, Nicholas. We want the child."_

"What child?" Nicholas asked back.

_"The child of Crystal Jade. Bring her to us."_

"I'll die first!" Nicholas snapped, turning his X-Wing and bringing it dangerously close to one of the Star Destroyers. He shot at it, watching with satisfaction as the front of the ship began to burn.

"They know where she is, Nicholas! They put a homing device on your ship!" Blake shouted, watching as enemy fighters began to drop to the planet below.

"What? I should have thought of that!" Nicholas panicked. "I'm going down, Blake!"

"Be careful, Nicholas!" Blake yelled and then watched as Nicholas' X-Wing plummeted to Endor.

As soon as the X-Wing landed, Nicholas leaped out and ran towards where Obi Wan and Mara were hiding, drawing his lightsaber and igniting it as enemy ships began to hover above them.

"They know we are here, Obi Wan. We have to get away!" Nicholas said, taking Mara in his arms.

"How? You can't go back to the ships, Nicholas. That's where they are landing!" Obi Wan declared.

"Blake, I need ground support!" Nicholas said over his headset.

"We're trying to get you help!" Blake replied.

Imperials began running out of their ships, firing their blasters unmercifully as they did so.

"Here. Take Mara and I'll deal with them!" Nicholas said, handing Mara back to Obi Wan. "Be careful, Obi Wan!"

Nicholas ran towards the soldiers, swinging his lightsaber viciously to block the attacks. More ships dropped out of hyperspace, encircling Nicholas. Still he fought on, Mara's safety always in his mind.

Before Nicholas quite knew what happened, he found himself surrounded by enemy ships and well over five hundred soldiers. He had not had time to recover from Crystal's death or his previous battle, and he was exhausted, too exhausted to fight any longer.

The soldiers began to part, and the Emperor appeared, triumph showing from beneath his hood.

"It was a futile last attempt, Jedi," he spat, coming to a stop in front of Nicholas. "You have failed your wife, you have failed your friends, and now, you have failed your daughter."

"What?" Nicholas shouted as his hands were pulled back behind him and were tied together with the glowing wires that cut off the force. They were thicker than usual, and they stung into Nicholas' arms.

"We found your daughter. Mara is her name, isn't it?" Palpatine glowered as several of the pilots were brought into the midst of the guards and were shoved next to Nicholas.

"There were too many of them," Blake said sadly from his side. "We couldn't fight them off."

"It wasn't your fault," Nicholas said, his heart beating wildly from within him as the guards began to part behind him and the sound of shouting and crying reached his ears. He turned his head slowly and there, being carried through the crowds, was Mara, crying at the top of her little lungs and reaching out to him.

"Charming child," the Emperor smirked as Mara was brought to him.

"Keep your hands off my child!" Nicholas screamed, lunging forward only to feel the handcuffs cutting even deeper into his skin, threatening to cut off his circulation.

"Someone shut his mouth," Palpatine ordered, and a guard stepped forward and shoved a gag into Nicholas' mouth.

Palpatine ordered Mara to be put down and then he knelt down in front her, ignoring Obi Wan's shouts as he was placed next to Nicholas.

"Hello Mara," the Emperor said sweetly, smiling at the little girl.

"You stay away from me!" Mara shouted, trying to pull away and run towards her father, who was watching her with great panic.

"Did you know your mother and father want you to stay with me?" Palpatine asked, and Nicholas began to choke on the gag as his eyes started to glow menacingly.

"No they don't!" Mara shouted.

"Yes, they do. Your mother came to stay with my army, Mara. That's why she isn't here anymore," the Emperor said.

"That's not true!" the little girl shouted, beginning to cry.

"Your parents don't love you. They want you to stay with me so they can get rid of you."

The Emperor gazed into Mara's green eyes, his thoughts taking hold of hers.

"_They want you to stay with me. They want you to stay with me. They want you to stay with me…"_

"Mara, don't listen to him!" Obi Wan shouted. "Your mother and father love you very much! Your mother died so that you could stay with your father! They love you, Mara! Don't give up on them! They love you!"

"Silence!" Palpatine roared.

Obi Wan obeyed, but his thoughts began to interrupt Palpatine's.

"_They love you! They love you! Mara, don't listen to him, child! They love you!"_

Palpatine signaled to one of his men, and the soldier went to Obi Wan and promptly slapped him in the head, sending Obi Wan to the ground, unconscious.

Nicholas watched, with growing horror, as the Emperor continued to silently lie to his daughter. Mara was strong, and she didn't believe the Emperor, but if Nicholas didn't somehow find a way to escape, she would be taken from him, and he would never see her again.

Presently, Mara was pulled away from him, and several large ground vehicles arrived behind the Imperials, targeting Nicholas and Obi Wan with their great guns.

Mara was screaming, crying to her father, somehow understanding that he was going to be killed, as well as all the other men who stood with him. Obi Wan stood up shakily, and upon catching sight of the guns, he gulped nervously.

"Nicholas, what are we going to do?" he asked.

Nicholas' green eyes were glowing frightfully, his eyes once again turning completely green.

"Get the gag off me," he tried to say, and Obi Wan immediately did so.

"Nicholas, what is happening with your eyes? What are you going to do?" Obi Wan panicked.

"Palpatine, shoot me first!" Nicholas demanded.

"Very well," Palpatine said, rubbing his hands together as Mara was held next to him. "It will be my pleasure."

The guns all aimed at Nicholas, and Obi Wan shouted at him with fright.

"Nicholas, what are you going to do? Your daughter needs you! Don't kill yourself!"

Nicholas didn't hear him, but shouted up to Palpatine. "Don't let my daughter see this!" he ordered.

Mara was dragged up to one of the ships, but before she was pulled inside, Nicholas shouted to her.

"Mara, I love you! I will always love you, just as your mother did! Don't ever believe that we don't love you! I love you!"

Mara disappeared from sight, and Palpatine ordered that Nicholas be shot. The weapons were fired, directly at Nicholas, and to Obi Wan's horror, Nicholas disappeared.

"Nicholas!" he screamed, terrified as the Imperials began to cheer, and even Palpatine laughed.

"So much for the Undefeatable Jedi!" the Emperor crowed. "Kill the rest of them!"

The guns were aimed at Obi Wan and the pilots, and they were fired. To everyone's surprise, the vehicles all suddenly exploded, the guns having backfired, destroying them.

An unseen wave began to rush through the Imperials, knocking them down and killing them immediately.

"He's alive!" Palpatine gasped and then ran to his ship. "Lift off immediately!"

The wave of dead and injured soldiers seemed to be nearing him, and the Emperor was scared. He gave orders for the ship to lift off, and it immediately did so, leaving the Emperor's men to fight the unseen weapon by themselves.

Several men tried bravely to shoot at the unseen source of destruction, but even as their blasters were fired, an unseen hand knocked them over.

"What's happening?" Obi Wan shouted, running towards his ship with the pilots following him.

"I don't know! It must be a ghost!" Blake yelled, covering his head as a great gust of wind suddenly blew through the crowds, threatening to knock the pilots off their feet. "Either that, or some type of invisible weapon!"

Obi Wan stopped and turned to look at the unconscious and dead soldiers that lay on the ground. He caught sight of the wind rushing towards the remaining enemy ships, and then shouted. "Nicholas! Is that you?"

The wind changed course abruptly and charged towards him. It stopped directly in front of him, and slowly, a little at a time, Nicholas' form appeared and the wind evaporated.

"You're alive!" Obi Wan cried, throwing his arms around Nicholas and crying. "I thought you had been killed!"

"I thought I should live up to my name. It took more work than I thought it would, but I made it," Nicholas smiled sadly. "Vanisher, remember?"

"Oh, Nicholas! They took Mara!" Obi Wan shouted.

"I know, and I will find her and save her. I won't stop until she is safe again," Nicholas said. "I think they'll try and hide her, but I will find her. I've lost her mother, I won't lose her."

"Where will you start looking?" Obi Wan asked, walking towards the ships with Nicholas.

"In space. I'll go through every ship until I have found her. Crystal used to sneak around on the first Death Star. Now, I'll sneak around on every ship and every planet until Mara's found," Nicholas said.

"Crystal would be so proud of you," Obi Wan smiled as Nicholas began to climb up into his ship.

"I miss her, Obi Wan. I miss her terribly," Nicholas said sadly. "She will be avenged, though. Palpatine will die. If not by my hand, then by someone else's."

"Nicholas, be careful," Obi Wan said as Nicholas sat down in his ship.

"I will be. May the force be with you, Obi Wan. I don't know that we will ever see each other again. I'll be thinking about you," Nicholas smiled.

"My son, I will miss you greatly," Obi Wan said, tears in his eyes.

"I love you, Obi Wan. You have been my dearest friend second only to Crystal. Take care of yourself. I am beginning a long and dangerous hunt. Hope that I shall be successful," Nicholas said, and the hull closed.

The X-Wing lifted off into the air, and Obi Wan watched it silently.

_"Undefeatable Jedi, Vanisher, Nicholas, and whoever else you might be, may the force be with you always,"_ he said quietly, and then, after the ship disappeared from view, he turned and walked back to his ship. The storm clouds rolled away, the evening sun cast a hopeful light across the remaining ships, and everything somehow, even after all the tragedy of the last several years, seemed to be at peace.


	27. Return of the King

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Return of the King**

Many years later…

_He was there again, standing before her, his eyes yellow and menacing. "They didn't love you, and so I took you under my watch. I will train you as they never could. You will become my second hand, one of the most powerful, deadly people in the universe. You will have respect and honor worth dying for. All you must do is obey me, for they didn't love you. They didn't care. Join with me, let me teach you, and the greatest glory is yours." His eyes suddenly disappeared, and all was dark for a split second before something else came into view, something almost as frightening, but with a strange beauty to it. Two green eyes, glowing radiantly, appeared. They were angry, but also, gazing deep within them, they were loving. They drew closer, and that voice, that wonderful, soothing voice spoke. "Don't believe it. Stay with what you know is right. Don't give up." The eyes, as they had always done before, burned into her, and then panic filled them and they disappeared, followed by one long, undying scream…_

The dreamer's eyes shot open, revealing brilliant green. A strand of damp red hair was pushed away, and the person sat up slowly, trying to recover from the dream.

"Having another dream, were you Mara?" a voice asked.

Mara glanced up at the speaker, a tall man with graying hair and trim moustache and beard.

"Are we there yet, Karrde?" Mara asked, clearing her throat.

"Almost. You all right?"

"Yes. Is there anything that would hinder us from landing on schedule?"

"No," Karrde frowned. "There was a small ship that just dropped out of hyperspace before us, but nothing else."

"Good."

Mara sat back in her seat and watched as the blue and white planet of Yavin drew nearer. She steadied her breathing and closed her eyes for a few seconds. The dreams of the mysterious green eyes were coming more frequently, and they were lasting for longer times than before. Her name had been called several times already in the dream, and it frightened her.

The small ship that Talon Karrde had seen floated effortlessly down to the ground came to rest on a broken, almost entirely destroyed landing pad. The engines stopped, the lights turned off, and the hull was opened.

The pilot climbed down his ladder, stopping when he sensed someone standing a short distance away, watching him.

"Hello there," the observer said, walking towards him.

The pilot studied the man carefully, noting his sandy blonde hair, blue eyes, and short height.

"Hello," the pilot answered, holding his hand out. "You must be Jedi Master Luke Skywalker."

"That I am. And you are?" Luke asked, shaking the man's hand and studying his face carefully. The man was tall, muscular, and handsome. He appeared to be quite young, possibly younger than Luke himself was.

"I am Nicholas. I have come to see your Jedi Academy," Nicholas smiled.

"Is that an X-Wing? I've never seen one with gold tips like that before," Luke noted.

"Yes. It is one of the first X-Wings created. It is also the only type of ship that can land on that platform, as it seems you have already learned," Nicholas said as they began walking towards the great stone building close to them.

"That is interesting. We built our school here, at the Yavin Temple," Luke said as they stepped into the building.

"The Yavin Temple?" Nicholas asked, a gleam flickering through his eyes.

"Yes. Are you interested in becoming a Jedi?" Luke asked uncertainly.

"No. I am looking for someone," Nicholas said.

"Who?"

A small R2 unit entered the room, and Nicholas watched as the droid began to scuffle past. He passed Nicholas and then stopped suddenly and spun his head around, looking at him carefully. Then, the small droid began to emit a series of warbles and beeps, sounding very excited.

"R2, what is it?" Luke asked, looking from Nicholas to R2.

"Seems you recognize me," Nicholas said to the droid.

"You can understand what he's saying?" Luke asked, astonished.

"Of course. Can't you?"

"Not very well," Luke blushed.

"Luke, Karrde's ship is approaching," a pilot said, joining them in the room.

"Excellent! Would you please escort Nicholas to General Bel Iblis?" Luke asked.

"The general?" the pilot frowned.

_"He needs to keep an eye on this one,"_ Luke said with the force, and the pilot nodded.

"This way, please," the pilot spoke.

As Nicholas followed the man, he noted the numerous badges and insignias on his flight suit. One badge in particular caught his eye, and he stopped abruptly. "Where did you get that badge from?" he asked, and the pilot turned his head to look at him.

"This one was my father's favorite. I was never able to understand what it was," the pilot smiled, looking at the badge with the lightning on it.

"That was the badge of one known as Vanisher. Have you ever heard of him?" Nicholas asked.

"When my father was dying, he spoke slightly about it. He said when Vanisher returned, everything would be well," the pilot said.

"Your father was Blake Antilles?" Nicholas gasped.

"Yes. I'm his son, Wedge. How did you know that?" Wedge frowned.

"I knew your father."

"You did?"

"Yes. He was a good man and an excellent pilot," Nicholas said. "He is dead?"

"Yes. He died after trying to protect Yavin from the Imperials," Wedge explained.

A door slid open, and Nicholas and Wedge stepped inside.

"General Bel Iblis, this is Captain Nicholas," Wedge introduced. "Luke would like you to keep him company for a short while."

"Certainly," the general said, not looking up from his maps. "After that, though, I'm leaving. I need to report back to the Republic."

Wedge left, taking one last, long look at Nicholas.

Nicholas sat down casually in one of the chairs across from the general, waiting for him to look up from his maps.

"You wouldn't happen to know where the Empire is hiding out now, would you?" he asked.

"Yes. They are in the Outer Rim, Sector 6," Nicholas said calmly.

Bel Iblis looked up from his map, astonished. He caught sight of Nicholas and choked, moving rapidly away from his desk. He fell onto his knees before Nicholas, a radiant glow on his face.

"Your majesty! Is it really you?"

"Yes, Bel Iblis. It is. Please don't tell anyone I'm here," Nicholas smiled, signaling for the man to rise.

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for my daughter, as I have been ever since she was taken from me," Nicholas said. "I hope she is still alive."

"Mara?" Bel Iblis asked, standing up again and moving shakily back to his desk.

"Yes. Is she alive? Do you know anything about her?" Nicholas asked.

"Oh, she's alive alright," Bel Iblis nodded breathlessly.

"Where is she?" Nicholas asked, standing up and putting his hands on the general's desk. "I have to know! What happened to her?"

"She is here, Nicholas."

"She is?"

"She was in Talon Karrde's ship. She is probably just about to greet Luke."

"She met Luke?" Nicholas gasped.

"Yes sir. She is also about to…to…"

"To what?" Nicholas shouted excitedly.

"Marry him," Bel Iblis said, nervous about what the undefeatable Jedi's reaction to that would be.

"She is going to marry Anakin's son?" Nicholas whispered, moving towards the door. "I must see her."

"You can, but I don't suggest you tell her anything, Nicholas. She's been through a lot more than you know. She wouldn't accept who you are and would be extremely suspicious of you. She's also a Jedi and will try and read your thoughts," Bel Iblis warned.

"I won't tell her, I just want to see her. My daughter is safe, Bel Iblis! How wonderful!" Nicholas said, leaving the room hastily and jogging down the adjoining corridor towards the landing platforms.

He came to a stop in a large corridor with openings instead of windows. The engines on Karrde's ship had already died down, and people were walking down the ramp. He could see Luke moving towards the ship, and then the young man stopped and waited impatiently for everyone to get down the ramp.

Less than a minute later, a beautiful woman with golden red hair stepped off the ramp and was grabbed by Luke.

"Luke, put me down!" she laughed as Luke spun her about.

"It's been so long since I've seen you!" Luke said.

"I know! I know! We have much to talk about. Come, let us go inside," Mara smiled, taking his hand.

Nicholas stepped back a bit as they entered the corridor, uncertain about what to do. Luke spotted him and smiled politely.

"Mara, this is Nicholas. He has come here to look at the school," Luke said.

"Mara Jade," Mara nodded, taking Nicholas' offered hand and shaking it lightly. "You are here to look at the school?"

"In a sense, yes."

"Nicholas just got here, Mara. What did you want to see about the school?" Luke asked.

"I wanted to see if the palace is the same as it was when I left," Nicholas said calmly.

"The palace?"

"This is a palace, yes, not a temple."

"How do you know?" Luke asked.

"I was the king of Yavin at one point in time," Nicholas said.

Nicholas could feel Mara and Luke both trying to infiltrate through his thoughts to see if he was telling the truth. At that precise moment, General Bel Iblis came into the corridor, a smile on his face.

"What he says is true. He was the king of Yavin many years ago, when I was only a captain," the general explained.

"Well then, welcome back," Luke said slowly.

"Thank you," Nicholas said, turning his head to look at Mara. His eyes gazed into her matching green ones, and she squinted, studying his eyes more carefully.

"Have I seen you before?" she asked quietly.

"Perhaps."

"Nicholas is also a Jedi," Bel Iblis said, breaking into the silence that suddenly flowed through the corridor.

"He is?" Luke asked.

"Good grief!" someone exclaimed from behind them, and everyone turned to see who had shouted.

Talon Karrde stood in the doorway, mouth wide open and eyes large. "I'm seeing a ghost!" he exclaimed, blinking several times. "You haven't come back to haunt me, have you? I know I didn't do much to save you, but you won't kill me!"

"I'm not a ghost," Nicholas chuckled. "I never died."

"But you would be about fifty years old now! How did you stay so young?" Karrde gasped.

"It's part of who I am," Nicholas said calmly, shooting a warning look at Karrde.

Karrde didn't heed the warning, but exclaimed, "It all comes from being the undefeatable Jedi, doesn't it? Luke, he's stronger than even you are! You should see some of the things he can do! It's been rumored that he can actually disappear, and…"

"Karrde!" Nicholas cut in. "Enough!"

"I'm sorry," Karrde said submissively, shaking his head. "You just came as a bit of surprise, that's all. You must have come to see…" He stopped and bit his lip. "I'll be quiet now."

"Thank you," Nicholas said.

"The undefeatable Jedi?" Mara asked, still staring at Nicholas' eyes.

"There's not much to it," Bel Iblis spoke quickly, trying to save Nicholas.

"It's all right," Nicholas sighed, holding up a hand. "The undefeatable Jedi has more power than any other Jedi. He can do things that are impossible to others."

"Such as what?" Luke asked, stunned.

"He can disappear or cause thousands to fall unconscious at his feet. He can also create things that even frightened the Emperor," Nicholas explained quietly. "He can even terrify dark lords, such as Darth Vader or any other Sith lords."

"You knew Darth Vader?" Luke whispered.

"Yes. He was once a good friend of mine. He was like a brother to me," Nicholas said quietly, remembering.

"He was also my father. Did you know that?" Luke asked.

"Of course. I helped rescue you from him, Luke."

"And Leia, you must have known about Leia!"

"You know about Leia?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes. She is my sister. Who else do you know? What else do you know?" Luke gasped. "Tell me everything!"

"He can't right now. You have a meeting in the conference room in approximately three minutes," Bel Iblis said.

"This conversation isn't finished, Master Nicholas! I want to hear about everything! Come with us! You might know what the meeting is about!" Luke insisted, and Nicholas stepped next to him.

"I'll go," he said.

Mara walked next to Nicholas, gazing up at him curiously. "Did you know me, by any chance?" she asked.

"I knew you, your mother and your father," Nicholas said.

"Both of them handed me over to the Empire," Mara said bitterly.

"Did they?" Nicholas asked gently.

"Yes, they did."

"I'm sorry you think that, Mara."

Mara opened her mouth to speak, but Luke cut her off.

"We are in the conference room now. Quiet everyone."

Nicholas sat down next to Luke in the conference room, watching as a white haired woman spoke about a new training facility for the Empire. Nicholas knew exactly what she was talking about and exactly where the facility was located. He allowed his eyes to gaze at all the many people in the room, and he was surprised by how many were there that he recognized.

Han Solo, looking almost identical to his father, was arguing with Mon Mothma. Leia was seated next to him, quietly tugging at his shirt to get him to sit down. Wedge Antilles sat quietly next to Bel Iblis, and Mara stayed next to Talon Karrde and his crew.

"So far, we don't know where the facility is," Mon Mothma said, interrupting his thoughts.

"I think this man does," Luke called out, gesturing to Nicholas.

"What?" Nicholas asked, caught off guard.

"You know where the new training facility is?" Mon Mothma asked, glancing at him. Nicholas watched as a sudden change swept across her face before she regained her composure.

"Yes, I know where it is. It is in the Corellian system," Nicholas spoke.

"I already contacted them, and they said nothing about any remnants of the Empire being there," Han broke in.

"Well, that's where they are. I was just there," Nicholas said.

"They must have lied!" Lando Calrissian shouted

"If they didn't, they would have been killed," Nicholas said calmly.

"We must send our troops to Corellia," Mon Mothma said firmly.

"Why believe the word of a complete stranger?" Han shouted.

"Because he isn't a stranger and he is a very accurate source."

"So is our intelligence operator!" Han barked. "She already told us where they were, and we didn't listen."

"Where is Captain Gail?" Mon Mothma asked, looking over her shoulder. "She was supposed to be here."

A sudden flicker in the force caused Nicholas to glance to one of the exit doorways. For less than a second, a woman's eyes met his own, and then she left the room quickly. "That was strange," Nicholas whispered, a warm feeling beginning to flow through him.

After the argument was over, Luke invited Nicholas to dine with himself, Mara, Leia, and Han. Nicholas accepted and followed Luke to his apartment, walking through several corridors and a maze of memories.

"All the rooms are upstairs," Luke explained, beginning to walk up a staircase to the second floor.

Nicholas didn't follow him, but stopped and gazed at the staircase, his eyes beginning to blur.

"Master Nicholas, what is it?" Luke asked worriedly.

"She was here, once upon a time," Nicholas said quietly, running his hand along the smooth railing. "She stood in this very spot, watching me leave."

"Who did?"

"Queen Crystal of Yavin. She was the most beautiful woman the galaxy has ever known," Nicholas said breathlessly. "Even now, I can feel her presence here. I can hear her voice. Oh, such music it is!" he said, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths of air. "Tell me, Luke, are there any flowers anymore on Yavin?"

"There weren't for several years, but recently, strangely, some have again begun to bloom," Luke said, confused.

"Are they purple with gold tips?"

"Yes. Roses."

"I shall have to see them sometime."

"Han and Leia are waiting for us. The children have already been put to bed, that way we can have a good conversation," Luke smiled.

"Children?"

"Yes. You seem to have a lot to hear about, as well as we have," Luke nodded.

Nicholas was led into a comfortable room and was asked to sit down. He glanced about the room as he did so, a small smile on his face.

"Interesting that this apartment should be yours," he commented as Leia and Han placed three trays full of food on the coffee table.

"How so?" Han asked.

"This is where the queen of Naboo used to stay when she was here," Nicholas said quietly, deep in thought.

"The queen of Naboo? I've heard rumors about Naboo, but I've never seen it. I didn't think it existed," Luke commented, moving over a bit on the couch so that Mara could sit next to him.

"It is a real planet," Nicholas said. "The people there were our greatest allies."

"What happened to them?" Mara asked.

"The same as what happened to every planet. The Empire came," Nicholas sighed.

"Tell us about yourself, Nicholas. How did you come to be the king of this planet? What do you know about us?" Leia asked.

"I know just about everything there is to know about all of you. Your mother was the queen of Naboo at one point, Queen Padme Amidala. Your father was Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi knight and my best friend. Han, your father was Mike Solo, one of the greatest smugglers in the galaxy. Your mother was Rielle. Mara, your mother and father were great warriors. I suppose I shall have to start from the beginning," Nicholas said, picking up a piece of food.

There was a knock at the door, and Han opened it. "Great," he groaned. "What is it, 3PO?"

"R2 kept exclaiming to me that the king of Yavin was here. I want to see if he was telling the truth," C-3PO said uncomfortably.

"Come on in," Han growled, closing the door behind both droids.

C-3PO awkwardly entered the room and glanced at Nicholas.

"Greetings, 3PO," Nicholas waved.

"It is you! It is you!" the golden droid shouted excitedly, over and over again. "R2, you were right! He has returned!"

"R2, you already knew who I was. What is it you want?" Nicholas smiled.

R2 emitted a series of beeps, Nicholas' eyes widening as he did so.

"You don't say," Nicholas commented thoughtfully when R2 was finished.

"What did he say?" Leia asked.

"He has several holograms in his system that he would like to show you. R2, you can show them while I tell the story," Nicholas smiled. "How you managed to save those images after so many memory clearances I don't know. You always were a stubborn little droid."

Nicholas began to talk, starting at the Clone Wars and stopping at his return to Yavin. Occasionally, R2 showed some holograms, and great was the audiences' fascination when they saw images of Anakin, Padme, Mike Solo, Blake Antilles, Talon Karrde, Nicholas, and lastly, Crystal. There was only one hologram image of her, standing quietly in her wedding dress, rose petals blowing gently all about her.

"R2, keep that image up," Luke said, squinting to see Crystal better. "Leia, doesn't she look familiar?"

"Say, she does!" Han gasped. "It's Gail!"

"Gail?" Nicholas asked, all color draining from his face.

"Yes, our intelligence operator. She seems to know just about everything about everyone and everything," Leia nodded.

"Where is she?" Nicholas asked, standing up.

"Wait! There is more to your story than what you already told," Mara said, standing up with him. "What was your whole role in it? How did you know the Skywalkers and my parents personally? Yes, you are the undefeatable Jedi, but why did you become affiliated with them?"

Her voice was hard and bitter. Nicholas glanced at her, allowing his eyes to burn into hers. Hers were a brilliant green, yes, but no other eyes could become as illuminated and dazzling as Nicholas' could. He allowed them to continue to burn, until the whites of his eyes were almost completely engulfed by the green.

"Search your heart, Mara. What was my role there?" he asked gently and Mara fell back into her seat, breathing heavily.

"Mara! Mara, are you all right?" Luke asked, taking her hand in his, a look of worry crossing his face as her hand shook violently.

"You couldn't be!" Mara gasped, having trouble breathing. "You left me to the Emperor! How can you be?"

"I didn't leave you to the Emperor, as I just told you, Mara," Nicholas said softly. "You were stolen from me, as I told you before. I tried, and Master Obi Wan tried, with all of our strength, to convince you that your mother and I loved you very much and didn't want you to become Palpatine's slave."

"But you're so young!" Mara exclaimed, standing up. "It can't be! That's impossible!"

She went to the door and quickly left, Luke standing up and taking a step after her. Han stopped him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "She needs to deal with this alone for a little while. This has to do with her and Nicholas, no one else," he said firmly.

Nicholas stood up quietly. "I will see all of you later. I need to find Mara."

Nicholas left the room and walked down one of the corridors, guards everywhere. They nodded to him politely, but Nicholas rushed past them, stretching out with the force. Wherever Mara had hidden, she had done a spectacular job. A few minutes later, however, the indestructible Vanisher knew where she was.

"How did you find me so quickly?" Mara asked as Nicholas stepped onto the roof, closing the door behind him.

"If I was to try and hide from something, I'd probably come up here," Nicholas said, sitting down next to her and gazing up at the starry sky. "I used to hide on roofs all of the time."

"Why didn't you come to me before?" Mara asked, gazing up, not daring to look at him.

"I couldn't find you."

"What do you mean? You are the undefeatable Jedi, I thought," Mara frowned.

"The Emperor himself was hiding you from me, Mara, and after that, you rushed throughout the galaxy, going from one place to the next, constantly changing your name. I have been able to find people all of my life, Mara, but the dark side of the force was being used against me, and even after you were free from Palpatine, you weren't free from the dark side. It took a farm boy from a second rate planet to save you from that," Nicholas smiled. "I tried as hard as I could to find you, Mara. I never stopped searching for you, going even as far as the Outer Rim. Now, I have finally found you, and I am so happy."

"I always thought my parents were dead."

"One of them is. Although, the whole thing about Captain Gail is beginning to make me suspicious. Have you seen her often?" Nicholas asked.

"Often enough. Most of the time she's gone, and only the top-secret intelligence people know where she is. She is a great spy, and she succeeds in almost everything she does."

"Does she have anything to do with the force?"

"No," Mara said, shaking her head. "Luke has offered to train her before, but she politely refrained. She's not interested."

"Strange. Luke mentioned to me that flowers are beginning to bloom again," Nicholas said thoughtfully.

"What do the flowers have to do with anything?" Mara asked, looking at him.

"Everything seemed so strange here to me when I first came back, but now I am beginning to feel at peace again. It's awkward how that works."

"You really are my father?" Mara asked.

"Yes, I am. You are Princess Mara Jade of Yavin. I know that comes as a shock to you, but one of these days, I'm sure you will believe it."

"I would believe it more if you didn't look so young," Mara smiled.

"That's part of being the undefeatable Jedi, I suppose. I'll always look young," Nicholas laughed, and then he became serious again. "I am so happy to have found you, Mara. Great will be the day when you understand everything."

"I am sure it will be. Have you been given an apartment to stay in yet?" Mara asked, standing up.

"Yes. I suppose I shall go there now and get some sleep. Good night, Mara."

"Good night."


	28. Newborn

This is the last chapter! Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading this! This was actually written about five years ago, so it's somewhat amusing to me to see how my writing has changed over that time. Enjoy! :)

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Newborn**

Nicholas walked quietly to his apartment, deep in thought. He was almost afraid to leave Mara for the night for fear that the Empire would again capture her. Luke's love for her, however, eased his concerns, and he resolved not to worry as he stepped into his apartment and closed the door behind him.

Sleep did not come easily to Nicholas that night. He tossed and turned, visions of Crystal's death constantly passing before him. One vision became so bad that Nicholas awoke with a start, sitting up abruptly and breathing heavily, his shirt soaked through with sweat. He felt someone's presence in the room, and turned his head to catch sight of someone hastily leaving. She was dressed in a black jumpsuit, her long hair down against her back.

Nicholas jumped out of bed and began to run after her, but she was fast, and just as he entered the corridor, she disappeared from sight.

_"I will find who you are,"_ Nicholas called with the force.

He didn't get a reply, and he walked quietly back into his room, heart beating wildly.

The following two days were full of discoveries and new things for Nicholas. Luke showed him the Jedi Academy, introducing him to the students and counselors. The names of some of the counselors were vaguely familiar, and it filled Nicholas with joy to realize that some of them had been Jedi padawan that he had rescued from Anakin.

Every night, however, was far different than the day. Each night the woman appeared in his room, and each night he tried as hard as he could to follow her and capture her.

Finally, on the second night, Nicholas awoke and leaped out of bed, as usual. Instead of chasing the woman down, he shouted and slammed his fist into his pillow. He had seen slight glimpses every day of that woman, Captain Gail, as he was certain she was, but she had always escaped from him.

"This is so frustrating!" Nicholas shouted, closing the apartment door with a wave of the force. "Why can't I find her?"

"Because, she's afraid of you," a familiar voice said from behind him.

Nicholas turned slowly, a cold shiver shooting through him. There, standing a short distance away from the bed, was Anakin Skywalker.

"What are you doing here? I heard you were dead!" Nicholas gasped, sitting down abruptly in a chair as Anakin approached him.

"I am dead. I was able to come back and see you, however," Anakin chuckled. "What do you think of my children?"

"They are beautiful. It amazes me every day that Mara is going to marry Luke," Nicholas said breathlessly.

"Isn't it great?"

"What are you here for, Anakin?" Nicholas asked.

"That woman that you keep seeing is afraid of you. That's why you can't catch her."

"Why is she afraid of me? What have I done to her?"

"You didn't do anything. It was something she did to herself," Anakin explained.

"Why are you telling me about her?"

"Why do you think I am?"

"Come on, Anakin. We all know Palpatine killed Crystal. There's no beating around that," Nicholas frowned.

"Did he?"

"How else would she have disappeared?"

"The same way you did on Endor."

"She made herself vanish?" Nicholas gasped, leaping up abruptly. "Why? Why did she do that?"

"You should probably ask her."

"She wouldn't tell me if she's been hiding from me. Why has Crystal been hiding from me?" Nicholas panicked.

"Go talk to her, Nicholas."

"She won't let me get near her!"

"If you go to your balcony, you will see her. Follow her wherever she goes, Nicholas," Anakin said calmly.

Nicholas grabbed his jacket and threw it over his damp shirt. He raced past Anakin and onto his balcony, Anakin following him calmly.

A short distance away from the balcony was Captain Gail. She was dressed differently than she usually was. She wore a light blue dress with sheer material covering it, the moonlight causing it to shine beautifully. Nicholas couldn't see her face, but a wave of love that had long since been gone, suddenly washed over him, and he began to climb down his balcony.

"Nicholas, remember. She's afraid of you. Just follow her," Anakin warned.

"Thanks for coming back, Anakin."

"You're welcome."

Nicholas began to follow the woman from a short distance away, Anakin's ghost disappearing behind him. Nicholas was confused and afraid. If the woman truly was Crystal, then she would have been able to feel his presence by now and she wouldn't be afraid of him.

The woman began to run a short time later, racing across the green grass and towards the waterfalls that pounded in the distance. Nicholas followed after her, stopping only when she disappeared behind the waterfall.

"She's going to the country home," he whispered, stepping cautiously towards the large falls.

A few moments later, Nicholas was standing on the other side of the falls, gazing at the country home in the distance. The grass had grown long and wild, and vines were creeping all along the house, but aside from the years of decay, it looked almost identical to the way it had been before. Nicholas closed his eyes for a few seconds and took in deep breaths of the fresh air and enjoying the breeze that whipped about him. Then, he began to walk towards the house.

The woman wasn't in the house, but Nicholas caught sight of her standing on the back balcony, watching the falls, her back turned towards him. He walked quietly and quickly towards her, afraid that she would try and get away from him again.

A few seconds later, Nicholas was standing directly behind her, and he reached out and grabbed her, preventing her from running away.

"Let go of me!" the woman screamed, struggling with him as he wrapped his arms around her. "Let go!"

She kicked at him and struggled, but Nicholas' muscles had been well tuned from years of work, and she could not loosen his hold.

"What do you want?" she cried, terrified.

"Crystal," Nicholas whispered gently in her ear.

She immediately stopped struggling and turned around to look at him. Her eyes were wide with horror as she pulled away from him, gazing into his face.

"What do you want?" she choked, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

"Crystal, it's me," Nicholas said worriedly, studying her face and reaching out to her. He put his hands on her cheeks, brushing the tears away gently. "It's me."

"I know it's you. I've been trying to avoid you ever since you came," she said, trying emotionally to pull herself away from him.

"Why? What have I done to you?" Nicholas asked.

"Nothing. You haven't done anything," she sighed, turning away from him and putting her hands on the balcony railing.

"What happened to you?" Nicholas asked, his breathing difficult as he tried to understand why she was so terrified.

"I disappeared, Nicholas. I was hit with the poison and I disappeared so that you could escape. I managed to get to a ship and leave, and I tried to find you, but you are so good at hiding that I couldn't. I searched for years, Nicholas. I went to Alderaan, finally, and met up with Talon Karrde years later. I saw Mara and decided to stay with them. I then began to work for the Alliance, and that's where I've been ever since," Crystal choked, and tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Why were you so frightened of me?" Nicholas asked, his own emotions beginning to get the better of him as he watched his beautiful wife begin to sob.

"I didn't want to be with you after a short while because I realized that I would hinder you!" Crystal cried, collapsing onto her knees on the ground.

"I don't understand," Nicholas said gently, moving to stand directly above her.

"I lost all of my force abilities! The last thing I was able to do was disappear, and after that, I could no longer use the force! Don't you see? I would hinder you! I can no longer work alongside you! I am powerless!" Crystal wailed. "I was afraid that you would hate me for it and loathe me! I couldn't face you again. Everything that ever made me the undefeatable Jedi was taken from me!"

Nicholas stood above her, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks as he looked at the love of his life sobbing on the floor.

"I didn't want to hurt you," Crystal whispered. "I took the chemicals so that you could live and remain the stronger of the two of us. I wanted you to have a chance. Now, I am worthless compared to who I once was. You can't possibly let me be with you anymore. I am so, so sorry Nicholas!"

Crystal didn't dare look up, otherwise she would have seen Nicholas kneeling slowly in front of her. He cupped her chin gently in his hands and gazed deeply into her eyes, so clouded with tears. He moved his face slowly towards hers and then kissed her, pulling her close to him and holding her tightly.

"I will never leave you, Crystal. How could I? I've hoped for so long that you were alive. It doesn't matter what powers you have. You are my wife and I will not leave you," he whispered to her. "I love you, Crystal. How could I care what power you have?"

"I will only hinder you," she cried.

"No, you will help me with the intelligence that you have. If you are not able to go with me everywhere, then I won't go. You belong to me, and I belong to you. There are new Jedi who can take care of everything else. I want only to be with you," Nicholas said comfortingly. "Let me care for you as I used to."

"The galaxy needs you, Nicholas," Crystal whispered.

"No, it needs us," Nicholas said gently, kissing her again.

Several minutes of silence passed before Nicholas turned his head, gazing at the doorway to the balcony. Standing quietly in the shadows of the house, her red hair barely visible, was Mara. She didn't say anything, but stood there observing.

"How long have you been there?" Nicholas asked, standing up and helping Crystal to her feet.

"Long enough," Mara said curtly, very shaken.

"Mara, I am sorry I never told you," Crystal said gently, her hand in Nicholas'. "I didn't want anyone to know. I was afraid."

"Does Karrde know about you?" Mara asked, stepping forward.

"Yes. He has known ever since I first came to him," Crystal nodded.

"This is going to take a long time for me to adjust to," Mara sighed. "What are you going to do now?"

"I still have to go out and find out what those spies from Sector 12 are up to," Crystal said.

"I'm going to go with her," Nicholas smiled. "Are you all right?"

"It's been a difficult few days," Mara said. "I want to believe that you are my parents, but it's going to take time. As for now, you are more than welcome to attend my wedding in a few days. Luke wants you to be there, and…I do too."

"Of course we will be," Crystal said, reaching out and hugging her daughter.

"We should get back to the academy. The guards were beginning to get suspicious," Mara said.

The wedding of Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade was an elaborate affair. Shortly after it was over, Mara and Luke left on a mission, and Nicholas and Crystal left for another one.

Time passed, and over the course of several years, Nicholas and Crystal were forgotten. Mara alone often thought about them, and she knew, whenever the Alliance heard of unexpected attacks on the Empire or they received new spy information, that Nicholas and Crystal was responsible for it. She often wondered if there could ever be another undefeatable Jedi after Nicholas was gone. Gradually, she stopped pondering over it.

And then, several years later, Luke and Mara had a son…


End file.
